


A New Pizza Slice on Life

by JustAndrea



Series: Mikey, Michika and Hueso Jr Stories [1]
Category: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Cartoon 2018)
Genre: Art, Cooking, F/F, Family Fighting, Gen, Slice of Life, Slight Family Drama, anime-esque action, connects to several episodes, self reflection, will tag more as the story goes on if I need to
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-20
Updated: 2019-11-28
Packaged: 2021-02-16 02:23:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 63,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21500278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAndrea/pseuds/JustAndrea
Summary: After thinking back on how much he enjoyed working there before, Mikey is inspired to get a job at Run of the Mill, and as autumn rolls into the Big Apple, he finds himself dealing with more than just dirty dishes and new recipes. New friends, a bit of family drama, some self reflection and a kappa with a water gun, just to name a few. In hindsight, it’s kinda funny how something as simple as a part time job ended up feeling like such a big step in his life…
Relationships: April O'Neil/Sunita (TMNT), Michelangelo & Raphael (TMNT), Michelangelo & Senor Hueso, Michelangelo & the rest of his fam, Michelangelo (TMNT) & Original Female Character(s), Michelangelo (TMNT) & Original Male Character(s), Warren Stone/Hypnopotamus (background but it's there)
Series: Mikey, Michika and Hueso Jr Stories [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1823638
Comments: 43
Kudos: 104





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey ya'll! ^v^ So, here's the fic I worked on for a couple months for something called the TMNT Big Bang Project on Tumblr. All the chapters have been written already, so you can expect a new chapter (and maybe some art from the awesome artists that signed up for my fic) each day for the next 9 days! Hope you all enjoy! I worked really hard on this fic and I'm so glad to finally share it with you all!
> 
> Also, this chapter features two pieces of art: A cover from Yalaki and an illustration piece from Lilipan-Art. Both artists are on Tumblr, so definitely go check out their awesome art! ^v^
> 
> Small note: I wrote all of this before new episodes started airing again, so just keep in mind that this entire fic takes place before Man VS Sewer/The Mutant Menace and all the craziness after that. Alrighty, here we go!

**__ **

**_-Pour into a medium sized pan. Cook at 375 degrees for thirty five minutes, or until the cheese is melty. Serve, and enjoy!’_ **

...Yeah, easier said than done.

Pouting slightly, Mikey poked at the browned, sloppy-looking casserole. He poked it again, watching the melted cheese jiggle, and silently wondered how it could suddenly look so unappealing. It was baffling, really. How could anyone look at cheesy goodness and NOT start feeling hungry?! Melted cheese was about as close to heaven as you could get!

He then turned to look at the old midwestern cookbook he had found behind an abandoned bookstore while helping Donnie look for ‘new’ textbooks. No doubt about it, the picture looked MUCH more appealing. Then again, Mikey had made a few substitutions and added a couple extra ingredients, too used to experimenting with homemade recipes to even bother with trying to stop himself. “Maaaaybe I should’ve kept it a little more basic for my first time…” he wondered, tossing his chef’s hat near the pile of dirty dishes.

It wasn’t always easy being the family chef, especially when you lived in the sewers and fresh ingredients were few and far between. One of the very first things Mikey had learned to make was something he had dubbed Ramen Surprise, a far cry from any sort of distinguished dish. Basically it was just pouring whatever semi-fresh veggies and fruit (yes, _fruit._ But hey, he was six!) into the ramen cups his father had managed to get from a nearby bodega owner who didn’t bother asking questions just as long as people paid. 

As was to be expected, the concoction wasn’t the greatest, but it was still Mikey’s first real experience cooking. And, just like his first drawing, his first spray paint tag and the firsts of many various creative hobbies, it stayed stuck in the back of his mind throughout the years. It inspired him, persuaded him to step out of his comfort zone (which was, ironically, already pretty huge) and gave him a chance to work on a whole new canvas of sorts. He was a very creative turtle and cooking was just another form of art. Frankly, he considered it one of the better ones since he was able to eat his ‘masterpieces’ afterwards. 

...Unfortunately, this also applied to occasions when his experimental dishes just weren’t exactly what he had pictured them to be in his head. Still, Mikey shrugged it off. Looks weren’t everything, after all. As a certain former-chef-turned-cannibal-pig would say: Flavor ranked supreme! 

Figuring that it was cool enough, he dipped a tasting spoon into it, pulling up a small bite’s worth of ground beef, egg noodles, cheese, pepperoni, bacon bits, and some peppers for a little extra heat. There wasn’t any sauce, but as the original recipe had promised, a single cup of milk and the juices from the meat and veggies were enough to bind the concoction together. 

His balance of ingredients was a bit off, and the lack of any sort of sauce still seemed a bit strange to him. But it’s smell, to his pleasant surprise, was quite a bit better than how it looked. Closing his eyes, Mikey put the spoon in his mouth and let the warm flavors and melted cheese smother his taste buds like a blanket in winter.

The box turtle hummed, smiling proudly as he chewed. It was just a tad under spiced in his opinion, and the accidentally overcooked meat sort of overshadowed a lot of the other flavors. He also felt like it could use a little something extra admittedly, though he still wasn’t sure what that ‘something’ could be, but overall-

“Not bad!” Mikey grabbed his phone out of his shell and snapped a couple pics to commemorate the occasion. Another art project finished, and another decent success to add to his list - right in-between the Pizza-Meatloaf and Dessert Hot Dogs (the latter of which not even Raph dared to try, but Mikey still enjoyed nonetheless). 

Hoping it would retain its flavor overnight, Mikey scooped up a bowl for himself and put the rest in the fridge for anyone else in his family to claim. If there were indeed any takers, the casserole would most likely be gone by morning. If not, then he would have leftovers for days. Leftovers were okay - cold pizza was easily as good as fresh, Mikey happily claimed - but he still hoped his brothers and father would at least try his newest dish before it got too stale. 

Moving into the main atrium of their home with his bowl, he tried to guess where his brothers were. Donnie was no doubt in his lab, and Raph and Leo were probably either in the arcade or in their rooms doing whatever. This meant the tv room - as well as the best beanbag in said room, the one free of both holes AND smelly stains - would most likely be totally free. With a smile and a perfectly executed ninja jump onto the second floor, Mikey quickly made his way into the darker room.

Splinter’s snores greeted him, his rat nose only twitching slightly at the smell of food. The last third of Lou Jitsu vs Lady Paras was playing on the fabric screen. Deciding it was a good enough flick to watch while he ate and not wanting his supper to get any colder, Mikey flopped down onto the beanbag and settled in to watch the younger, human version of his dad kick butt. 

The villainous Lady Paras had just finished boasting about her grand plans as she twirled her iconic shimmering parasol over her shoulder, not at all intimidated by Lou Jitsu’s scowl or skills. Mikey chuckled as the lady-bad guy laughed - Donnie always loved playing as her whenever they trained to this particular movie. To be fair, his overly dramatic theatre-kid purple brother did do a pretty spot on _himedere_ laugh, not to mention the fact that bo staff skills could easily translate into killer parasol skills.

But Lou Jitsu was no slouch when it came to defending umbrellas either. Drawing his own ‘weapon’, he shouted his signature catchphrase- _“Hot Souuuup!”_ \- as the two began their fight. Almost immediately, Mikey was brought back to the auction house where his own umbrella battle had taken place just a few weeks ago. “Heh, who needs spears when you've got umbrellas?” he mumbled before taking another bite.

The two umbrellas clashed over and over before the wicked Lady tried a dirty move, slicing across the ground with the tip of her parasol in the hopes of blinding the hero with a cloud of dust and dirt. Lou stepped back, opening his own umbrella to block the attack before rushing forward, the stretched fabric acting as a makeshift shield that was strong enough to push Paras back. The Lady let out a frustrated screech and swung her umbrella right at Lou’s head as soon as she had an opening at it.

With his sunglasses catching the light perfectly, causing them to gleam brilliantly as he grinned (“Sooooo cool~!”), Lou leaned back to dodge the blow while his weapon wielding arm swung up, knocking Lady’s umbrella right out of her hand with one mighty smack! With truly nothing to fear now, Lou stood up straight and pointed the end of his own weapon right at Paras’ chest. With a glare, she reluctantly surrendered, promising that she would no longer use the poor farmers’ land for her umbrella factory. Victorious once again, Lou Jitsu delivered his final line of the film: “Ha ha, not even the fanciest of umbrellas can handle my storm of justice and chop saki violence! _Hot_ _souuuuuup_ _!_ ”

Mikey sighed, placing his now empty bowl on the floor. He wasn't stuffed per say, but the warm food in his stomach was making him a bit lazy, so he decided to watch tv for a bit longer. He dared to make a move for the sacred remote control resting by his father’s right hand side, and relaxed when he wasn't suddenly struck on the hand by a long rat tail. “Okay, let's see…” He switched from VIDEO to CABLE, and started scrolling through the tv guide.

He was tempted to go for a sports game or a cartoon rerun, but in the end Mikey ended up picking one of the cooking channels. Even after his last encounter with Meatsweats, he still wouldn't mind tuning in to an episode of Kondesending Kitchen. Just ‘cause the guy was a major jerk didn't mean he couldn't still learn from him, after all. But unfortunately reruns of that show wouldn't be on for another hour, so he settled for one of those restaurant makeover shows instead.

And just in time too, it would seem. “Oooh, retro diner themed!” Mikey grinned as the camera panned over the new yet nostalgic tabletops and neon lighting now within the restaurant. Even if he was more into a modern, slightly more colorful yet grittier design to go with his street art aesthetic, Mikey could still understand the appeal. 

Besides, diner-style food was still pretty good, all things considered. “You could flip up some sweet burgers there! Yeah, and different seasonings for fries. Maybe have like a daily chef’s special or somethin’ too...” Nothing too fancy - it was meant to be a simple local diner, after all - but something like a couple extra toppings or grilling the buns of even just adding a flavorful sauce could bring even the most basic burger to new levels of flavor.

“Though, goin’ fancy wouldn't be bad either!” He argued with himself, recalling all the cooking competitions he'd seen that prided themselves on turning something simple into something high-end. If he could make a duck a l'orange pizza, then making a fancy burger would be no sweat! “Sure it's a little more expensive, but SO worth it! Maybe you could spice up the burger meat, or- or put cheese actually IN the burger! Yeah, that would be really good, and would totally bring people into your place!”

“I know I would certainly want to try it. It is making me hungry just thinking about it.”

Wincing, Mikey turned and gave his father a sheepish smile. “Hey, Pops.”

Splinter just blinked sleepily at him. “Hello, Orange…” Mikey relaxed a bit, glad that his dad wasn’t annoyed about being woken up. Splinter then glanced down at Mikey’s bowl, raising a curious eyebrow at the few remaining bits of food as he tried to figure out what his youngest had made this time.

Thankfully, Mikey didn't make him guess for too long. “Just tryin’ out a sort of pizza-inspired casserole. Turned out pretty good! Just gotta figure out how to add a little more of that-” He waved his hand before punching the air- “That _pow!_ factor later, you know?”

Splinter hummed, nodding. “And did you wash the dishes afterwards?”

The box turtle rolled his eyes, slouching even further down into his beanbag. “ _Daaaaad_.”

“Do not ‘Daaad’ me, little Orange one! We only have so many good pots and dishes down here, after all!”

“Yeah yeah, I know.” Sticking his tongue out a bit, Mikey flipped himself into a standing position, the spoon hopping out of his bowl slightly but otherwise staying put. “I’ll go clean up.”

“Thank you.” The old rat’s eyes softened a bit as he added, “And, I will be sure to try some of your casserole next time I am in the kitchen.” Mikey grinned, saying nothing, but the noticeable skip that was back in his step was more than enough. Splinter chuckled, shaking his head a bit before reaching over with his tail and reclaiming the remote.

Not that Mikey really cared, not really interested in watching tv anymore as his normal energy returned to him. He had no problem using tv to chillax when he was in the mood, but he still enjoyed being on his feet or working with his hands the most - even if his hands were covered in dish water.

Though, as he scrubbed, Mikey continued to think about restaurants and fancy and not-so-fancy and maybe-COULD-be-fancy dishes, his mind practically berating him with various ideas and feelings. “Hmph, must be pretty great to have your own restaurant,” he mumbled to himself as he continued to scrub, already imagining it. 

Walls covered with his graffiti and paintings alike. Lots of comfy seating and fairy lights, similar to the ones decorating various rooms of their home. It would be cozy, like only the best pizzerias and bistros in NYC, but still large enough to fit a ton of people. But even with this, the place would _always_ be packed! Filled wall-to-wall with humans and mutants and yokai, all dying to get a taste of his unique flavors and dishes that only a mind like Miley’s could come up with. 

He smiled to himself, flipping a now-clean knife into the dish rack. All those people, coming to his place just for him and his food? “...Yeah, that would be pretty awesome…”

“What would be awesome, bro?” 

Mikey turned to greet his brother in blue… And stopped when he saw the steaming Lou Mike Toney Tony’s pizza box in his hands.

Catching his look, Leo smiled at him. “Not to worry, Miguel, I literally just got this and Raph’s got another one with him, so there’s plenty of pizza to go around if you want some!” 

Mikey forced a smile back at Leo, reminding himself that his brothers had no idea he had been planning on cooking their supper tonight. _It wasn’t that great of a dish anyway, remember?_ Better to wait until he had perfected it anyways… “Thanks, Leon. You know I can’t say no to a slice of LM-Double-T’s pizza!”

“No prob, bud! So, what were you talking to yourself about-?”

“Ah, nuthin’. Come on.” After shaking the leftover water off his hands, Mikey easily slipped around Leo, snatching the flat box from him and grinning when Leo scolded him for it. And just like that, the two turtles left the kitchen, the still-lukewarm casserole being halfway-unknowingly abandoned in the fridge.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Since none of Donnie’s crime and/or evil mutant detectors went off, the four of them ended up spending the night playing video games and laughing at funny internet videos. Great for a fun night with your fam, but not so great for the morning after, unfortunately. 

Mikey tried to muffle his slight cough as best he could as he walked to the kitchen, rubbing his slightly dry throat. Thankfully, it was nothing that a quick glass of water wouldn't fix, and after a long sip Mikey found himself feeling as good as new, if still slightly tired. The box turtle then sighed, leaning on the counter as he wondered what to do now. He wasn't too hungry thanks to basically having two suppers the night before, and he knew for a fact the others wouldn't be up for a couple hours.

He hummed, glancing over at the pizza slice-shaped clock on the wall. _4:37am._ It would still be pretty dark out… “Eh, why not?” Mikey shrugged, turning on his heel, “I could use some stretchin’ out anyway.” Sliding down the half pipe, he reached into his shell for his phone, started his Walk Jamz playlist, and practically danced out the entrance tunnel.

Mikey loved hanging out with his family, he really did. But like any teenager, he could still appreciate some alone time whenever he got it. Sometimes it was just nice to let his mind wander without having to worry about missing what someone nearby was saying, and instead fully concentrate on new ideas or random thoughts or just whatever happened to pop into his little green head. 

When he reached the surface, he gave a bit of a holler as the cold air quickly soaked into his scales. “Fall’s comin’ fast,” Mikey commented, rubbing his arms slightly as he continues his morning walk. He was SO not looking forward to getting out the heat lamps and heavy coats, that part of the season was always a pain. But, on the upside, fall also meant plenty of warm colors and bright lights, cool costumes, maybe some sweet Jack-o-lantern designs he could try out, definitely a lot of discount candy and all the pumpkin-flavoring a turtle could ever want!

...Aaand just like that, he was thinking about food again. “What is with me lately?” He asked himself, shaking his head as he pushed the thought to the back of his mind. He may have been a self-proclaimed master chef, but this was getting a little ridiculous even for him. So he just turned up his music and quickened his pace, letting the lyrics and beats of one of his favorite musical artists cloud his thoughts instead.

With it being so early out and the streets being so empty, he didn’t really need to stick to the shadows or stay up high, but ended up doing so both out of habit and out of pleasure. He didn’t get the title of ‘best flips in the family’ from just staying on the sidewalks, after all. So as he continued to jog and dance, Mikey would dart in and out of alleys, climbing up fire escapes or flipping off closed dumpsters when he could. He’d run across roofs, scale down buildings, and end up back on the streets only to do it all again about a block later when he found another interesting alley to challenge himself with. 

With all the fun he was having, Mikey almost didn’t notice his surroundings getting more and more familiar, until he flipped right onto a roof overlooking a certain alleyway. He blinked, glancing down at the bold, slightly mystical NYC graffiti mural. “Oh hey, Run of the Mill!” Mikey chuckled. “Didn’t even notice I was going here…” Deciding to take a break, he sat down on the edge of the roof, kicking his legs to the fading beat of a 90s classic.

His smile softened as he thought about the old pizzeria, and how grateful he was that Donnie had found the place for them - and on accident, no less. Maybe he didn’t care about being ‘normal’, but it was admittedly still sort of nice to go to a place where _they_ were normal. A place where they could just sit down and eat with all the other yokai and mutants, not having to don a disguise and grab their pizza to go, the slight fear of being discovered still being in the back of their minds. “Plus, they really do have great pizza!” It was weird they hadn’t changed the name yet… Maybe Hueso didn’t want to sound braggy, or compare himself to all the other pizzerias in New York that claimed to be ‘famous’ or ‘the best’? Eh, who knows?

As Mikey thought more about the pizzeria, he inevitably ended up thinking of a certain night there a couple months ago. Now THAT had been a pretty great night! Sure, those mobsters were total jerks, and maaaaybe his competition with Leo had gotten a bit too intense, but it had still been enjoyable! Showing off his sweet moves AND his sweet cooking skills! All the praise and compliments he had gotten from those troll ladies had admittedly made him smile and feel pretty good, not to mention all those ADORABLE little unicorns! And to top it all off, he got to kick butt and save the day with his bro! All in all, a pretty awesome night, even with all the trouble that was caused by their little contest.

“Heh, makes me wish I could work there every night!” Mikey paused, and he thought about it, his eyes slowly widening. Could he-? No, there was no way- but, maybe? But, should he-?

Jumping to his feet once more, Mikey started to pace. “Hmm, I did like working there. But, it would still be a job.” He cringed slightly at the word, remembering all the vent sessions he and his bros had provided for April whenever she was frustrated with her job of the month. “But, I would be cooking, which I love to do! But, it’d still probably be hard work, with how busy the place gets. BUT, it’s not like being a ninja and fighting off bad guys isn’t hard work either. BUT, speaking of which, I’d have to give up fighting and free time to work, which stinks. BUUUT in exchange, I’d have more cash on hand! And more unicorns! And more new friends to make, and more people to try my food!” In a way, it’d be the closest he could get to having his own restaurant! 

And with that, he officially had his decision! With an excited whoop, he dove down into the alley, landing with a perfect cartwheel and popping up right next to the mystic wall. “I wonder if they’re still open-?” But before he could even rub his fingers together, the wall began to shimmer, causing Mikey to yelp slightly and take a couple steps back as his favorite skeleton man stepped out.

Hueso sighed, his hat pulled down over his eyes. Another busy night had come and gone, and while he was always thankful for all the business he received, he was also more than ready to get a few hours of sleep. So, he pressed his hands against the open portal, whispering a password only he and his assistant manager knew. The portal flickered bright green before shutting completely and the wall becoming much more solid. He sighed again, this one more in relief than fatigue, as he turned-

“Oh, guess you’re closed now, huh?”

Hueso yelped, backing up into the wall and breathless for a moment before scowling at the smiling turtle. Annoying teenage ninjas… “I would say that you nearly gave me a heart attack, but I don’t technically have a heart.”

Mikey chuckled, rubbing his neck. “Heh, sorry Senor Hueso. I didn’t mean to scare you, honest! I just wanted to ask-”

“You and your brothers come here often enough, you should be well aware by now that we do not have any breakfast pizzas,” Hueso scolded, crossing his arms, “If you want pizza that badly, you will just have to wait until we open back up for lunch! Now, _buenos dias y adios_.”

“But, wait-!” “Young man!” “I just wanted to ask a quick question, and then I promise I’ll let you go home!”

Hueso stared at him, and while the young turtle’s puppy dog eyes had no real effect on him, he didn’t really want to have to deal with him and his persisting question later while he was trying to work. “Fine, what is it?”

“Weeeeeell…”

()()()()()()()()()()()

Just as it was to be expected of him and all his brothers, Mikey made it back into the sewers just as light was breaking above the skyline and the people of the Big Apple were opening their curtains and blinds, with some of them already out and about. By the time he made it back, his family had already made their own breakfasts. Without Mikey there to do anything fancy, his brothers settled for cereal and milk (and a glass of juice, in Donnie’s case) while Splinter had a small bowl of steamed rice and a cup of tea, as well as a small bag of mini muffins he had snagged from the cupboard. 

“Hey, Mike,” Raph greeted with a slight wave, the twins doing the same and Splinter nodding, his hands full with his bowl and chopsticks.

“Hey,” Mikey smiled back, grabbing the box of Cocoa Puffs, “S’up?”

“Nothing much,” Raph answered with a shrug. It was just too early for anything interesting or exciting to be happening.

“Though, it doesn’t look like you could say the same,” Leo butted in, noting the smile still on his younger brother’s face, “You have a fun walk?”

“Oh yeah, it was nice,” Mikey nodded as he sat down, managing to snag the last of the milk, “Real refreshing. Saw a couple cool new tags on the way too. ...Oh, and I got a job.”

His family paused their eating, and one by one they all looked at him, their confused looks just making Mikey grin even more, his amusement combining well with his excitement for his news.

“...Wait, what?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, the art from this chapter was done by Yalaki and Lilipan-art. Anyway, leave a comment if you can, and I hope you all like this story!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the kind words and comments so far, it just means the world to me! ^v^ Hope you enjoy the second chapter!

_ “-And you understand that this will be a  _ **_commitment_ ** _ , that you can’t just quit when you get annoyed with it - at least, not without a two week notice - or bail out on scheduled shifts when you don’t feel like coming in, yes?” _

_ Mikey nodded firmly. “Hmph, trust me, chico-” He noted the slight squint in the skeleton’s eye holes- “I mean, senor. Trust me, I am ALL in on this! I really just wanna help out here and do more cooking and serving and just, you know, work here!” _

_ Hueso hummed. He knew some teenagers had a bad habit of being impulsive and then getting bored with their choices, even doing it himself occasionally when he was younger. Still, the young turtle did seem pretty passionate about this, and Hueso had seen himself that Mikey had this skills (both cooking and social ones) that could lead to him being a successful employee… _

_ “...Because of your age, I would not be able to officially hire you until you turn sixteen. However, I can still allow you to work here, it would just be considered a volunteer position, and it would only be part time. Only three to four nights a week. I couldn’t pay you, but you would be allowed to keep any tips you make-” Just as long as he didn’t let them loose into his restaurant  _ **_again_ ** _ , Hueso mentally added with a grumble. He admitted that it had been a valid and effective strategy, but getting half his pizzeria eaten by mini unicorns had still been a hassle. “-and, as long as your performance was worthy of it, I could also promise you official employment once you are of age. So, do you still want the job?” _

_ Mikey clenched his fists tightly, stars practically in his eyes. “YES!” _

_ “Very well,” Hueso nodded, walking past him, “You will start tomorrow night, and I will provide you with a uniform when you arrive. Please do not rip this one, I will make you pay for it if you do.” _

_ “You got it, Bone Man!” _

“And that’s how I got the job!” Mikey finished, “So, what do you guys think?”

His family was still sort of staring at him, not necessarily upset or even shocked, but still a bit surprised. “You sure you wanna put up with having a job?” Leo asked, “I mean, dude, if you wanna cook, you’re still allowed to cook here.”

“I know, but I wanna cook for people other than myself and you guys,” Mikey explained, “If I’m good at something, why not try to turn it into a career? It could be fun! And hey, maybe I’ll even pick up some new tricks, since I’ll be working in a professional kitchen and everything!” 

“I can definitely understand the appeal of that,” Donnie nodded. If he had the opportunity to work in a professional lab (yokai-ran or otherwise), he would’ve taken it in a heartbeat. “If you think it’s a good idea, then I don’t see a problem with it.”

“And neither do I,” Splinter agreed, already turning his attention back to his breakfast. His youngest was definitely passionate when it came to his craft, and if this new job made him happy (and gave him the opportunity to cook that didn’t involve dirtying up their kitchen), then Splinter was certainly happy for him. But before Splinter could even try to take another bite of his rice, both he and Donnie were pulled into a tight hug.

“Thanks for the support, guys!” Mikey grinned, giving them one last appreciative squeeze before letting them go. He then looked over at Raph, who still looked just as unsure as when he first heard the news. “Well Raph, what do you think?”

“Well, uh…” The snapper furrowed his brow a bit as he tried to find the right words. “Er, which nights did Hueso say you’d be workin’ again?”

Mikey shrugged. “Dunno yet, but he said it would only be three or four nights a week, so no biggie.”

“Right… But, I mean, don’t you think it’ll be a little hard to do both ninja training and bad guy beating AND working at a restaurant?” April only had part-time jobs too, but they still seemed like they took up way more time than Mikey thought his would.

Still, Mikey just waved his big bro’s concerns away. “Relaaaax, Raph! We’ll make it work! The nights I work will still only be like half the night, and I can train some during the day if I need to! I’ll be fine!”

“I guess… But, I mean, the place is full’a yokai-” Raph started to say.

“Uh, yeah, that’s why it’s the _ perfect  _ place to work at, and why we love it so much!” Mikey argued, tilting his head a bit. Raph loved Run of the Mill just as much as the rest of them, so why was he having a problem with it now?

“I know, I know! But… Well, you might run into some rough customers while workin’, and- and you would be there by yourself, without us-”

Mikey narrowed his eyes a bit. “Yeahhh, so what?”

From the other side of the table, Leo and Donnie both shared a look, knowing exactly what Raph was hinting at, as well as exactly how Mikey would react. “Ohhh boy.” “Mmhm, yyyep.” Raph gave them both a glare, but the twins ignored it as they leaned in a bit, totally into the moment. Next to them, Splinter just silently sipped his tea, waiting to step in but hoping it wouldn’t come to that. As far as he was concerned, it was way too early for sibling drama.

Raph grumbled and sighed, sliding a hand down his face in frustration. “Look, Mikey, don’t take it personally! It’s just, I’m just lookin’ out for you - and I KNOW you know how dangerous some yokai can be! Those mobster guys you and Leo had to serve, Big Mama-” His face became serious, a rarity even for their determined and semi-responsible spiky leader. “Draxum and those gargoyle goons of his?”

Mikey admittedly had to wince at that last one, knowing just how strong the sheepman could be - even stronger now that he was working with the Foot. Out of the corner of his eye, he also saw his father sit up a bit at the name. 

“...Okay, fine, you’re right. I wouldn’t be able to fight any of those guys totally on my own. None of us would,” Mikey conceded, though quickly retorted with a, “BUT! I won’t be alone! I’ll have Hueso there to back me up, or help me escape.  _ And _ , I’ll have my sweet skills, and I’ll hide my weapon under my shirt, so it’s not like I’m gonna be completely helpless if something happens! I’ll even promise to call you guys up if I get in any real trouble, okay?”

The orange turtle then thought for an extra moment. “Besides, Draxum really doesn’t seem like the type of guy who’d even want to go get pizza, especially not from a place on the surface. ...He’s not the type, right Pop?”

Splinter stroked his beard, getting that same stern look he always had whenever Draxum was mentioned. Not that any of them could really blame him, considering their father’s history with the warrior scientist. However, much to Mikey’s delight, Splinter eventually answered with, “We went out for dinner once and he did not even know what a hot dog was so- No, no he is not the type.”

“Ha!” Mikey smirked, crossing his arms, “See! I TOLD you, Raph!”

Raph however still wasn’t totally convinced. “But- But, what if-?” He stopped, watching as his younger brother’s face shifted. Not to a look of anger or even annoyance, but one of disappointment and hurt.

“Raph… Come on, man,” Mikey said quietly, “You promised.”

Raph sighed again, glancing away. He wanted to say something but knew he couldn't because he HAD promised, right after the auction house mission. After admittedly…  _ maybe _ overreacting and being just a  _ liiiittle _ overprotective, despite Mikey being able to handle himself just as he said he would. ...Just as, deep down, Raph knew he would. He  _ knew _ his youngest brother was skilled and strong, just as much as the rest of them, but he still insisted on ‘rescuing’ Mikey despite this and ended up getting scolded and beaten up for it. (Lousy toe-head…)

But after all that, Raph had indeed promised to trust in him more, and even promised a real solo mission for him some time in the not-too-far future (Mikey had insisted on that last bit). And now they were here again, with Raph letting his protective nature cloud his judgement and Mikey insisting that he would be fine.

“I just… Really wanna do this, okay?” Mikey told him, “I wanna give it a shot… See if I got the skills it takes to be in an actual kitchen, you know?” Maybe he’d never have his art in a museum like the real Michelangelo, or even be able to show his true face to all his online followers interested in his art and recipes and remixes and whatever else he decided to post, but he could at least do this. A chance he never thought he’d have, and all the great things that came with it. 

Raph saw all of this in Mikey’s soft eyes, all his hope and excitement - and all for a part-time pizzeria gig. “Hmph, of course you’ve got what it takes, Mike,” he told him, managing a firm smile, “And, if you really wanna do this, then… I’m behind you all the way, bro.”

He held out a fist, and Mikey stared at it for a moment before smiling and bumping it. “Thanks, Raph.”

“Yeah, you got it, bud.”

With the tension dispelled and nothing else to really add - other than a small warning from Splinter for Mikey to keep on his toes and get out of there at the first sign of any purple vine or gold-wrapped horn, which he of course agreed to - the subject was quickly changed and the meal continued on.

Afterwards, once the dishes were washed and cereal boxes were put away, the family of five separated. Splinter naturally went to the TV room while Raph excused himself to go work out a bit in his room. Donnie wanted to tune up their heating system before winter truly hit them, so Mikey and Leo decided to entertain themselves with a little one-on-one Skate Ball.

But even as he concentrated on keeping the ball away from Leo while doing sick flips on his board, Mikey’s mind still remained on Run of the Mill. Each time he thought about working there - the people he would meet, the things he would learn, the food he would cook - he could feel himself nearly popping out of his shell with excitement!

Family concerns aside, he just couldn’t  _ wait _ for the following night!

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()() 

As soon as his fingers finished up all the buttons - a little hard with only three big fingers on each hand, but still manageable - Mikey took a good long look at himself in the mirror. He hadn’t given himself a chance last time, wanting to get dressed quicker than Leo, but now…

Hueso had given him a white chef’s smock instead of a standard waiter’s uniform, though he still had to wear black dress pants. The shirt itself was stiff but not uncomfortable, looking brand new (a rarity for him) and completely professional. It also hid his kusari-fundo and a couple emergency kunai well, his mystic weapon only forming a slight bulge on his hip that was hardly noticeable thanks to the loose sway of his smock.

The only familiar thing on him was his old orange mask, and if he was being honest Mikey was thankful Hueso didn’t ask him to take it off. He didn’t mind not wearing it around the house or while he was sleeping, but while he was out and about? He just imagined himself looking too weird without it. But other than that, he looked like a professional chef and, in a way, kind of grown up. It was strange, but a good sort of strange, one that made Mikey grin even wider.

“Okay,” he said, nodding at his reflection, “Let’s do this!” Ready for anything his new job had to throw at him, Mikey stepped out of the restroom.

Hueso was still there waiting for him, and once he approved of his youngest employee’s look, he then escorted Mikey back to the kitchen. Not really necessary since he already knew the way, but Mikey appreciated the gesture nonetheless. 

The kitchen was just as Mikey remembered it, complete with all the standard and not-so-standard kitchen features. He felt an extra pinch of excitement as he looked at all the stainless steel counters, the professional equipment and - the grand centerpiece of it all - the giant brick pizza oven. All of the bottled up mystic ingredients and spices he could see placed alongside the more ‘normal’ ingredients gave the place an extra bit of magic, and of the several other yokai he could see working at the various busy stations, all his co-workers seemed pretty cool too!

Hueso had told his staff beforehand that they would be getting a new junior volunteer, so everyone continued working even as their boney boss and newest co-worker entered. As for Mikey, after taking a moment to ooh and ahh at everything, he turned to look at Hueso and stood at attention. “So where do you want me at, huh? Pizzas? Soups? Desserts? I can make a  _ killer  _ cannoli, you know.”

“Yes I am sure you can, and I will keep that in mind,” Hueso replied, despite not looking too impressed, “But for now, I will be placing you-” He put a hand on Mikey’s shoulder, and turned him until he was facing across from the kitchen’s large sinks - which were currently almost completely full with dirty plates and pans. “-Here. Have fun.”

“Wait, what?!” The orange turtle looked at his new boss in disbelief. “You're puttin’ me on dish duty?! But, but you KNOW I can cook! And wait tables, and can keep customers happy! So are you SURE you want me just washing dishes?”

Hueso sighed, having been expected this reaction but was still annoyed by it. “Yes, I am sure. While I do acknowledge your experience and fairly impressive skills, you are still the ‘low man on the totem pole’, as it were. You are also a volunteer, officially, which means you go where I need you to go and do what I need you to do, and right now-”

“-You need a dishwasher,” Mikey finished, slouching now. 

“Yes.” Hueso then raised a boney brow. “Is that going to be a problem?”

“Nooo…” Even if he wanted to pout and complain, Mikey resisted. If he wanted to get to the fun parts of his new job, then he'd just have to power through the sucky parts! Quickly, he put his game face back on.”Okay, Bone Man! If you need a washer, then you've got one right here, baby! One stack of clean dishes comin’ up!” With that, the box turtle walked briskly over to the sink, already rolling up his sleeves.

Hueso hummed, watching Mikey for just a moment longer before leaving to stand at his usual spot near the Maze of Death. “Well, he passed the first test,” he mumbled as he walked. Getting a new employee to do a job they might not have expected or just didn't want to do without them quitting or throwing a fit was half the battle, and even with a bit of complaining, Mikey still did better than most his age probably would. “If he keeps this attitude up, he might just stick around after all…”

Back in the kitchen, Mikey couldn’t help but frown just a little as he picked up a sponge. More than likely, he would be working on the large pile his whole shift. “Not a problem,” he told himself, trying to stay hyped for his new job, “Come on, Magic Mike, these dishes are nothin’! And besides, I’m sure even Rupert Swaggart started off washin’ dishes somewhere!” Forcing a smile back on his face, he poured some soap into the sink as well as onto his sponge and got to work. 

The chore itself wasn’t too hard really, just pretty repetitive and dull. Still, Mikey worked quickly yet neatly, knowing very well that a huge puddle of soapy water on the floor wouldn’t do anyone any good. Eventually, he found himself getting into a rhythm - both physically  _ and  _ literally. Beatboxing to the sound of the running water and the slight clink of the dishware helped him concentrate, plus it just made it more fun.

“Heh, not bad, son,” one of the chefs - a rooster-man with a bright green comb - told him as he dropped off another few pizza platters.

“Thanks!” Mikey beamed, giving him a wet thumbs up. Still humming and beatboxing a bit to himself as he worked, his eyes began wandering around the kitchen. Unsurprisingly, the yokai who worked in the back were just as interesting as the ones that waited tables. Some looked only a few years older than him, while others looked like they had been around for quite a while. Along with the rooster dude, there was a fish-like chef as well as a sort of blobby one that reminded Mikey of Exploding Frankie, except this person was bright blue instead of green. 

One chef had hair like smoke, and was able to heat the blade of her knife with just her fingertips, making it easier to cut raw veggies while also cooking the edges of them almost instantly! A couple other chefs had multiple arms, allowing them to do several different tasks at once. Though as cool as they were, the chefs that were just able to pick the right spices without even needing to check them or could toss a piece of dough high up and never fail to catch it were still the most impressive in Mikey’s eyes.

“So, how long have you been working here?” Mikey asked the next time a chef - this one a cat with snow white fur that blended in with their smock and two fluffy tails that were wrapped together with a hairnet - came up to his sink with a handful of utensils. 

“Oh,  _ decades! _ ” the bakeneko answered, waving a paw at him, “I started learning how to cook just a few months after my tail split, which was just  _ ages _ ago!” He smiled brightly at the memory, his whiskers twitching a bit. “And then after a few years of bumming around the Hidden City, I took a day trip up to the surface, found this place and was lucky enough to get myself hired. And, well, I’ve pretty much been here ever since. Name’s Banji, by the way!”

“Mikey, and  _ wowwww!  _ Heh, and to think, my brothers and I just found this place like six months ago!” Mikey chuckled. It was still kinda hard to believe, actually… Obviously both Run of the Mill and the Yokai City had been around much MUCH longer than he and his family had, but it was still pretty crazy to think about. A whole hidden society full of people like him, just waiting to be discovered by the next human or mutant that was lucky enough to come across it. It was (ironically) kind of magical in that sense, and Mikey was just thankful that both he and his father had been two of those lucky few.

The minutes ticked on with each drop of tap water, and minutes eventually became hours. Mikey could feel his eyes starting to get a bit heavy, his arms sore and ready to be dried off for the night. He craned his neck a bit to get a look at the clock. ...Aaaand it was written in Yokai numbers. Though, if the order of the numbers was the same, he could guess that he only had about an hour left in his shift. “Not a problem,” he told himself, even as his face winced at all the plates and pizza slicers he had left, not to mention a huge pot to wash out thanks to the table that ordered the eyeball soup, ugh. 

Just then, there was a loud chorus of cheers from behind the kitchen door. Mikey blinked, seemingly the only one surprised by it. “Uhh, what was that?”

“Well, my guess is it was either a surprise party or a proposal,” one chef spoke up.

“If it was a surprise party, we would’ve been making cake most of the afternoon,” the rooster retorted, “It’s gotta be a proposal.” He glanced over at Mikey. “We get a lot of those here.”

“Don’t know why,” another chef shrugged as they put a pizza into an oven, “We aren’t exactly a ‘romantic’ place.”

“Well, there is a good atmosphere here!” Mikey spoke up, “Maybe this place is just really meaningful to some people.”

The chef - a dog with wings tucked in so they didn’t knock anything or anyone over - shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. I’d still personally choose somewhere else to pop the question, like a beach or a balcony or somethin’.”

“Uh huh,” Banji smirked, “Says the guy who hasn’t even tried proposing to his girlfriend yet ‘cause he’s being all flippy-flappy about it.” The dog growled, but his kitty co-worker simply raised a paw to his mouth as he continued to smirk. Mikey and the others just laughed at the scene. 

Sure enough, Hueso came back into the kitchen a few moments later. “Alright everyone,  _ reunirse alrededor, _ ” he said, clapping his boney hands together, “We just had a proposal, and the happy couple wants everyone to celebrate with them, which apparently means ordering dessert for everyone in the restaurant. So, all hands on deck at the dessert station.  _ Vamanos! _ ”

The yokai chefs all moved quickly while Mikey walked back to his sink, getting back to work. However, before he could even lift a sponge, he heard Hueso clear his throat. “Did you hear me,  _ tortuga _ ? I said ALL hands on deck,” he said, giving him a cool look.

Mikey only froze for a moment before grinning. “You got it, boss man!” he told him happily, earning a slightly amused smirk from the skeleton. He dried off his hands quickly before he dashed over to the dessert station, where the head chefs were already getting out the sheets of sponge cake that had made earlier that day. All that needed to be done now was cutting it into identical pieces and adding the toppings and decorations. Not exactly cooking or creative, but Mikey was just happy to be working with food!

And he didn’t want to lose this chance either, so he listened to the chefs in charge and watched their demonstration for him. A perfect rectangle of sponge cake, a dash of cinnamon and cocoa dust, a dollop of whipped cream, and finally two bits of chocolate along with some shavings. “So beautiful,” Mikey whispered as he looked at the perfectly crafted dessert with wide eyes.

“Yes,” the head chef, a bee-like yokai with an accent that reminded Mikey of his father’s, nodded, “But such beauty must also be quick. Work fast, but work neatly!” Mikey nodded, putting his serious face back on. The whole set-up was being done assembly line style, so he went over to his spot, picked up his bag of whipped cream, and got to work.

Having made all of his family’s birthday cakes for years, once they were able to find the ingredients for them and didn’t have to just sneak day-old leftover cake out of bakery dumpsters, Mikey already had plenty of experience working with frosting and figured that whipped cream couldn’t be too much different. He also kept one eye on his co-workers as he went along, focusing on their technique just as he would any cooking show demonstration or makeup tutorial.

Squeeze, plop, swirl, lift. Squeeze, plop, swirl, lift. Once again, Mikey easily found himself getting into a comfortable pattern. Even as he started to relax some, he still worked quickly and made sure each dollop was perfect. If it wasn’t, he grabbed a spoon and carefully scraped the whipped cream off, putting it to the side to be cleaned up later and starting over before the head chef could even try to tell him that his cake didn’t look perfect. Thankfully, Mikey never needed more than a second shot to get it right, and never had more than two cakes at his spot at the station at once. 

Winged waiters - cute bat-people and giant fly-people - came to collect the platters of completed cakes over the other waiters since their height and speed would make delivering them to an entire restaurant much easier. After several minutes of work, Mikey heard the head chef yell, “Last tray! And two of these will be for the happy couple!” Mikey, along with a couple other chefs, gave a small cheer, happy that their impromptu sweets assignment was almost done.

The chefs worked even faster now, each dessert getting passed along after only a few seconds, with not a sprinkle of cinnamon or shaving of chocolate (or dollop of whipped cream, Mikey made sure) out of line. The crew clapped once the final tray was taken away, though only allowed themselves a moment of celebration before getting back to their stations. But before Mikey could move, he felt a firm, thin and slightly fuzzy hand on his shell.

“What is your name?” the head chef asked, his voice quiet enough now that Mikey was able to pick up on the slight buzz to his words.

Mikey smiled brightly at the bee. “I’m Michelangelo, but you can just call me Mikey. Or Mike, or Michael, or 'Angelo, or Orange, or y’know, whatever! I’m pretty much good with anything.”

The bee chef hummed. “Well, _ my  _ name is Victor, and you, Michelangelo, for your first desserts here… did a satisfactory job. You kept up well, very good all around.” Mikey’s grin grew even bigger at that, and thanked Victor before being sent to help with serving drinks. “After that, you may go back to your dishes.” Speaking of which, there were now several empty sheet pans covered in cake crumbs that needed a thorough washing. Unable to help himself, Mikey sighed. 

Still, he managed to keep his wincing to a minimum and got to work on his new task, grabbing a pitcher of sparkling grape juice that another waiter had set out. Thankfully, it was easy to keep smiling once he saw all the people enjoying the dessert he helped decorate. The happy couple took the time to feed their cake to each other, and Mikey made sure to congratulate them after he filled their glasses. 

Mikey moved as quickly as he always did, but as he passed the hall where the Maze of Death was, Mikey stopped sharply and took a couple steps back. Looking down the hall, he could see a short figure talking to Hueso. At that distance, he couldn’t tell if it was just a short yokai, or an actual kid. 

“But Hueso wouldn’t let an actual kid into a deadly maze, ri-?” The box turtle stopped, remembering how his blue brother had gotten them all into that exact situation. “Okay well, that one doesn’t count!” He knew very well how annoyingly persistent Leo could be, and this kid/adult/person didn’t seem annoying at all.

In fact, it soon became apparent that he wasn’t interested in the Maze at all. Just in talking to Hueso, the two of them speaking Spanish. Hueso then knelt down slightly, patting the figure’s shoulder before pulling them into a hug that was happily returned. It was only when the figure finally turned to leave that Mikey finally recognized him. “Oh, hey Hueso Jr.!” he greeted, balancing his tray in one hand as he waved. 

Junior stiffened slightly, his smile falling and his eye sockets quickly moving to the floor. He nodded at Mikey as he moved quickly past the turtle, heading towards his father’s office. “See ya!” Mikey told him, not trying to stop the young skeleton or even being offended at being blown off. 

They had seen Junior a few times before, when he occasionally came in to either talk to his father real quick or just hang out in Hueso’s office until it was time for the both of them to go home. He always seemed pretty happy when he was around his dad, but anyone else was lucky if they got a smile from the kid. 

Of course, Mikey and his brothers were always friendly towards the skeleton boy, but all they ever seemed to get in return was a small nod of acknowledgement. A little disappointing at first, given that it would’ve been nice to have another mutant friend - and one that was actually around Mikey’s age at that. “But eh, if he’s a little shy, that’s his biz,” Mikey shrugged as he continued on. He wasn’t going to force someone to be his friend - though he could still hope that it would happen eventually. 

The last half hour of his shift seemed to stretch on as he once again moved from the front of the pizzeria to the back, continuing to work his way through the mountain of dishes. (Or, maybe plateau of dishes since most of them now were sheet trays? Whatever.) But eventually, he was tapped on the shoulder by Hueso who let him know that he was allowed to go home, another chef with nothing left to cook already ready to take over. 

“Alright, thanks Senor,” Mikey nodded, smiling sleepily as he stretched his still damp arms, “Same time tomorrow?” 

“Yes, so I would suggest getting some rest,” Hueso told him, his tone only slightly stern.

But Mikey, despite his fatigue, had no complaints to give. He just nodded and waved goodbye as he started to walk out. “Will do! Oh, and tell Junior I said hi!” Hueso’s face softened a bit at that, and he nodded back. 

The moon was only half full that night, its natural light being drowned out by the neon signs and lit-up apartments of the Big Apple. Rolling his sleeves back down, Mikey quickly tucked his hands into them, only shivering slightly. It was only about 1 am, so there was a good chance his brothers would still be out and about, if they had decided to go out that night. 

Although, Hueso’s suggestion did sound pretty appealing the more he thought about it… Mikey yawned again as he began strolling towards home, more than ready to curl up in his hammock and catch some Z’s. 

He was tired, though not exhausted. It was a satisfying sort of tired. Like the kind of tired he felt after a successful mission with lots of great butt kicking action, or after hours of working on a new art project and finally getting it perfect. And even with his fatigue, the idea of going back to the restaurant the following night was still exciting to the young chef in training, the novelty of learning from professionals and the possibility of seeing people enjoying his food still encouraging to him.

With his smile widening a bit, Mikey moved his arms up to behind his head as he increased his pace slightly, preparing to step into the light just outside of Run of the Mill’s alley. Maybe it hadn’t been the absolute greatest first day on the job, but it was still _ his _ job, and he was more than ready for whatever else it had to dish out at him - even if it was more dirty dishes.

“Heh, until tomorrow, Run of the Mill...” With that, he darted across the street and into the next alley, letting the shadows of the city cover him like an old cozy coat, protecting him as he made his way home.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter features another AMAZING art piece by the awesome Lilipan-art on Tumblr! Definitely go check out their art! ^v^

“Service, please! Orange, these are for your tables!”

“Got it!” Mikey stuck his tongue out a bit in concentration as he slid the two platters onto his palms along with a small basket tucked carefully into his arms and carried them all out the kitchen doors. They were a little heavy, but not too difficult to work with. If he could hurl his biggest brother several feet into the air with a single _whoosh_ of his kusari fundo, then he could TOTALLY handle a couple extra large pizzas and a basket of breadsticks.

With the perfect balance that came with years of sick flips and perfecting his ‘razz-ma-tazz’, he strolled over to his first table, which was one of the larger ones that was placed towards the back of the restaurant. Sitting there were a group of yokai that he had also served the previous weekend. They were a variety of colors and species, but all about the same age (only a few years older than April) and all wearing identical jackets and sweaters with some sort of yokai symbol/logo on them. According to one of the other waiters, it was the logo for one of the Hidden City’s universities. Who would’ve thought mystical and possibly immortal beings would need a higher education? 

“Hey guys!” Mikey shouted over their conversations, “Hot pizza comin’ through!”

“Heyyyy, there’s our little orange bro!” one of them said, causing the rest of them to look up from their devices or stop their conversations and start clapping and cheering. A bit more rambunctious than he and his brothers would’ve been, though even after only serving them one other time, Mikey still thought they seemed pretty cool.

Once he set the meat lover’s pizza down, Mikey took a few seconds to return all the high fives and fist bumps the group offered him. Said pizza was quickly torn apart by the hungry dude-bros, which was totally understandable in his opinion. “I’ll bring you another one of these babies in a few, okay?” Mikey promised.

“Ha, you’d better, bro!” Another one said, mouth halfway full as he used one of his five free hands to grab another slice, “We’ve got a big test tomorrow, and then a big game after that.”

“Mm, oh yeah,” another nodded, “Gotta get all the carbs we can - plus a few more sodas to help keep our study energy up - got it?”

Mikey gave them all a thumbs up as he made a mental note to bring out another pitcher of pop along with the food. “Got it! You can count on me!” Sliding the basket of complimentary bread from the crook of his arm to his now free hand, he moved onto his next table. This time, it was a trio of customers that came in plenty, even in the short time that he had been there, thanks to Hueso’s generous kid’s menu discounts that Mikey was sure helped a lot of yokai families.

The surface of the table was messy, covered in both pasta sauce and crayon markings despite the mother of the family trying her best to keep her kids’ spaghetti actually on their plates. But Mikey didn’t even wince at it at the mess he would no doubt have to clean. He could only continue to smile as he presented the surprise order of breadsticks to the family of three. “Here you go, guys,” he said, quieting his voice a bit now as he grinned, “Made sure it has plenty of garlic and butter too.”

The Tanuki woman gave him a curious look. “Oh, but we already received our-” she began to say, but Mikey just shrugged. 

“Yeah, I know. Buuut, I also know how much your kids really seem to like the breadsticks-” It was the only food they didn’t try to play with as they ate- “and we had plenty back there to give away with customers not comin’ in for a while, so I just figured-”

“Ohh, that’s so sweet of you,” the Tanuki cooed, taking the basket from him, “Thank you. Kids, what do we- oh!”

Curious, Mikey looked over at the other side of the table, but instead of seeing two raccoon-like toddlers he instead found two smaller versions of himself - versions that would’ve been perfect, if not for the little grey ears still on the tops of the Mini Mikey’s heads. “ _Awwww!_ Now that’s cute!” Mikey patted their heads, making his mini clones giggle. “Wow, you guys are SO good at shapeshifting! Just keep at it, okay?”

The Mikeys nodded, flashing their teeny tiny fangs as they smiled. Their mother giggled, setting the basket down in front of her temporary-turtle children, letting them grab as much as they wanted. “Thank you again.”

“You’re welcome!” Mikey told her as he began moving to his last table where a fancy looking cyclops and a fur-covered slugman sat, his steps even lighter than before. He hadn’t seen them in the restaurant before, but just by how they smiled at each other and how casually they talked with still having that sort of ‘honeyglow’ look to their cheeks, Mikey could tell that they had been dating for a while yet still hadn’t lost that ‘head over heels’ spark. It was kinda sweet, and if he could help keep their date running smoothly, then he was more than happy to do so.

So, with a big smile and a bit of a showy twirl, Mikey set their mushroom and red pepper pizza down between them, presenting it with pride even if he didn’t make it personally. “Here ya go, one hot and fresh pizza for the happy couple! And if you guys need anything else, just give a holler, alright?” 

Impressed and endeared, the two men smiled back, chuckling a bit. “We will,” the cyclops told him, “Thank you so much.”

“No prob! Enjoy your night!” Mikey waved as he rushed back towards the kitchen, expertly dodging another waitress before they could even get near each other, let alone bump into each other, without even looking at her. 

“Nice work, kiddo,” Fenella told him as they passed each other, the face in her long gold hair smiling at him while her second ‘face’ in the front stayed stoic and pleasant. She was one of the senior waitresses, having worked at Run of the Mill for a few centuries and usually ran the crew in the front while Victor ran the back and Hueso made sure everything and everyone in-between stayed in line. Originally, she hadn’t been too keen on having such a young waiter whether or not she needed the help, but after seeing the thirteen year old turtle in action, Fenella was certainly glad that Hueso had convinced her to give him a chance. 

Mikey, likewise, had been a bit cautious when meeting her. Even with pale green skin instead than purple, Fenella was still human-like enough to remind Mikey of Big Mama. And, like most things from the Hidden City, the whole her-real-face-is-in-the-back-of-her-head thing was so creepy… but also so SO cool! Thankfully, Fenella was as nice as any other Run of the Mill employee, so he was cool with occasionally working with her just as he was with working with anyone else.

“We’re going to be getting a party here later tonight, so go ahead and sweep some while we’re slow, alright?” she told him.

“On it, Fen!” he nodded, his mask tails bouncing as he switched direction from the kitchen to the cleaning supplies closet near Hueso’s office. It was getting pretty windy out, so there were plenty of stray autumn leaves to sweep up along with dirt and crumbs. In-between doing that, Mikey cleaned off tables and took dirty dishes back to the kitchen while Fenella took care of refills and delivering bills for Mikey’s customers. Not exactly the most fun thing, but easy enough to do without breaking a sweat. 

Fenella also left the tips on the tables for Mikey to pick up. A few silver Hidden City coins from the Tanuki fam, a couple cocoons from his college bros and- “YES!” Mikey squealed as he picked up the three adorable unicorns from the table where his happy couple had sat.

“Heh, you saving up for something pricey?” Fenella asked when she heard him.

“Nah,” Mikey replied, taking a moment to pet the adorable little guys before putting them in his pocket and picking his broom back up, “I just think they’re cute.” Fenella gave him a bit of a look, but shrugged it off as she went to take her break. Who was she to say how her co-workers spent (or didn’t spend, in Mikey’s case) their tips? 

With the sweeping just about done, Mikey moved to put the broom back in the closet when he heard the familiar sound of a portal opening up. “Oh hey, welcome to Run of-” He turned around, and blinked. While the mystic mural did have a bit of a shimmer to it, like someone had just walked through it, there were no new customers standing there. “Huh, that's weird… Eh, maybe just a squirrel or somethin’ brushin’ up against the wall.” So he turned away, quickly forgetting about the strange moment, as well as failing to notice the small figure now crouching behind the maitre d’s podium...

“Alright, so no customers to serve, and no cleaning left to do,” the box turtle mumbled to himself, just as the door to Hueso’s office opened up, “Sounds like the perfect time to get some practice in! Hmm, but Roger’s off today… Maybe Victor or Banji can give some pointers. Banji _did_ say something about teachin’ me how to prepare Yokai style lasagna!”

“Well, doesn't THAT sound like fun!” a jolly voice commented. Mikey looked behind the closet door, and saw two slime-green Yokai smiling at him.

“Hey, guys!” Mikey grinned, closing the closet, “You here for that party, Frankie?”

“You know it!” Exploding Frankie replied, “Figured I’d get here a little early and grab a bite! Can't really get my explodiest on an empty stomach, after all? Think you can bring me out a small cheese and slug on thin crust?” 

“Sure thing, man!” Mikey grinned, “I’ll get right on it!”

“Thanks, Mikey!” Exploding Frankie then glanced up at his daughter, giving her an encouraging smile and a pat on the arm before heading towards a free table.

“So,” Sunita started to say, “They’ve got you on serving duty tonight?”

“Yeah, but I don't mind,” Mikey said, folding his arms behind his head, “I usually get to help cook every other shift, and even on the nights I’m waiting tables or washing dishes, they’ve been lettin’ me come in early for some private lessons. A couple nights ago, Roger - you know, the rooster with the sweet green mohawk? - he gave me a whole lesson on mystic spices AND how to prepare the _perfect_ Yokai style veggie stew!”

“Wow, that's great!” Sunita grinned. She had heard from April (who had naturally heard from her surrogate turtle brothers) about Mikey’s new job and had hoped he enjoyed working at the pizzeria as much as her pop did. “Sounds like you're already learning a lot, and you've only been here a couple weeks?”

“‘Bout two and a half, but yeah!” Mikey nodded, “Even on nights like this where I don't get to cook, I don't really mind since I still get to meet new people and make new friends! So, yeah, win-win!”

“Cool! Though, I wouldn’t count on not cooking any tonight just yet.” When Mikey gave her a curious look, Sunita just smiled sheepishly at him. “Yeahhh, there's a reason why I came with my dad to this job. I'm actually meeting April here later and I, well…” There was a flash of nervousness on her face before she managed to pull together a smile of determination. “I'm going to ask her to be my girlfriend!”

Mikey gaped at her, staring for several seconds before grinning widely, eyes practically sparkling. “Ohmigosh ohmigosh ohmiGOSH!” He yelled, pulling the now giggling Googlyschmootz girl into a tight hug, “I'm so happy for you guys!”

“Hehe, thanks Mikey but- But she hasn't said yes yet-!”

“Oh, trust me, ‘Nita, she is DEFINITELY gonna say yes,” Mikey insisted, “No question about it!”

“Well, I still _really_ want to make the moment special, you know?” As Mikey let her go, Sunita explained her plan. “I already asked Senor Hueso if we could just have you cook for us, and he said yes - to that, and to one other thing. Basically, along with our pizza, I want a special off-menu dessert that April will just LOVE, and that could maybe help get the ‘I want to date you’ message across?”

“Ooh, you mean like those desserts where someone hides a wedding ring in them?”

“H-Heh, yep!” Sunita was blushing now, her green face now almost as dark as Mikey’s scales, even as she kept smiling. But Mikey could tell that behind all the nerves and slight embarrassment, there was also a lot of care and love for his big sis. The slime girl wasn’t afraid of risks - it was one of the reasons why she and April got along so well - and she wasn't about to start now! “And, well, who would know what kind of sweets she would like best better than one of her best friends? So, will you do it, Mikey? Pleaaaaase?”

“Of course!” Mikey promised, agreeing without hesitation, “I’ll make you the best gf-proposal dessert ever!”

“Thanks, Mikey!” Sunita told him, pulling him into another hug, “You're the best!”

Once she let him go, Mikey quickly ran back to the kitchen, grabbing his chef hat off the rack near the door. He explained the situation to Fenella on the way, who thankfully didn't have a problem with it, dropped Frankie’s order off at the pizza station, and then got to work on his grand plan.

Their pizza and its toppings was a no brainer. Mikey had shared pizza with both of them before, April for _years_ now, so making the perfect half-and-half with their favorite toppings would be a cinch! And as for the dessert…

Mikey hummed, putting his natural creativity to the test and trying his best to brainstorm. He knew what April’s favorite sweet flavors were, but what to put them in? Something like a cupcake just seemed so basic. Pie was a little better, with a crust and therefore a bigger space to decorate. But he wasn't exactly a pie master, and he only had an hour and a half to both practice _and_ make the real thing. So whatever he made couldn't be too complex, but still had to be memorable.

As he tried to think of something, Mikey’s gaze began to focus on the yokai making Frankie’s pizza, still tossing the dough a couple times before flattening it. Dough… Italian… Wait- “That’s it!” he said suddenly. The pizza chef (as well as everyone else in the kitchen) looked up at him. “Oh, sorry, don’t mind me. But thanks for the inspiration!” Mikey waved as he headed over to the kitchen’s pantry. He had the idea, now he just had to make sure he had the ingredients to pull it off. “Hey, we’ve got chocolate and peanut butter, right?” he asked no one in particular.

“Chocolate, definitely,” Banji answered, looking up from the knife he was washing, “Peanut butter, I’m not sure… We might have had a dessert or two that used it, but that was decades ago.”

“Still, Hueso likes to keep a little bit of everything around, just in case,” another chef spoke up, “If we’ve got any, it’ll be in the pantry.” 

“Cool, thanks!” The pantry was right next to the kitchen’s freezer, being just as big and using a similar metal door but without a thermometer next to it. ...Though, as he got closer, Mikey noticed that the pantry door was open just a crack. 

“Huh,” the orange turtle mumbled, opening the door the rest of the day, “You’d think we’d want to keep these things closed. Wouldn’t want the food goin’ bad or somethin’ getting in.” He flipped on the light switch, and immediately started looking around. Thankfully the pantry was pretty organized, having a typical layout despite its mix of surface and mystic ingredients. There were shelves of cans and jars and bags, huge crates and boxes, a pair of eyes and a still figure hiding in the shadows-

...Wait. “Hey, what the-?!”

“Uh oh,” the figure tucked behind the small crate of cucumbers they used for salads said in a sing-songy voice, “Bustedddd.” Confused but still able to act on a mix of curiosity and instinct, Mikey rushed forward - and almost immediately felt his feet slip out from underneath him. 

There was no denying that Mikey was really good at keeping his balance and being acrobatic when he knew what obstacles were there and what to avoid. But running right into a puddle of slippery water he had no idea was there? Not quite as successful. As such, Mikey gave a sharp yelp as he fell to the floor, his shell hitting a shelf on the way down. _“Owwwwww…”_

As he groaned, the thief moved quickly with a half-eaten cucumber still in her hand, grinning and saying “Sorry not sorry!” over her shoulder as she rushed out. As soon as she did, Mikey heard the other chefs start to shout - some surprised, and others just being exasperated, saying things like “Not again!” or “How’d she get past us this time?!”

But Mikey ignored all that, gritting his teeth as he stood back up. With his feet still slightly wet, he darted out and kept his balance on his toes, making sure to step and weave around his co-workers as he ran after the thief. “HEY! Stop!”

Out in the light of the restaurant, Mikey could see that she was about the same size as him, and had similar green skin. Her stringy dark-brown hair was tied into low pigtails that swung below her floppy straw hat. A pink, clearly plastic gun bounced against her hip, hanging off the belt loop of her denim dress. Not your normal looking thief, but Mikey could care less about that. 

By this point, Hueso had spotted her as well, crying out in both disbelief and anger as he quickly left his post by the Maze of Death to join his youngest employee in the chase. “What did I say about coming back here, girl?!” he yelled. 

Crawling under a table and pushing past a waiter that tried to grab her, the girl then spared Hueso a look as she continued to run, the smirk on her beak turning into a grin. “If you don’t want me back, don’t make it so easy!” she retorted. 

As he jumped over the same table, Mikey nearly stumbled, caught off guard by just how turtle-like the girl looked. She didn't look _exactly_ like him and his brothers, her beak more obvious and her shell not sticking out under her clothes nearly as much as theirs did, but it was enough to make Mikey do a bit of a double take even as he and Hueso continued their pursuit.

Reaching the front of the restaurant, the thief then added, “Or just give me what I want, that works too!” With that, she raced through the mural with ease and disappeared, taking another big bite from her stolen cucumber as she did so.

Of course this didn’t stop Hueso and Mikey from running through it as well, but without any tables or people in the alley to slow her down, she was already gone by the time they stepped through it. Hueso groaned, both hands pulling on the brim of his fedora. “Ugh, I swear, I am going to-!”

“Don’t worry, chico,” Mikey said, scowling as he took off once more, “I’ll get her back here!”

“Wait!” Hueso called out, but it was no use.

“Sorry, girl, but no one messes with my pizzeria!” Forgoing stealth for the moment, he rushed out into the (thankfully) empty street, head quickly turning back and forth as he tried to find- there! Just down the block, he spotted the previously cocky thief now seeming unsure of herself, and thus slowing herself down. “Ah HA!”

The turtle (?) girl gasped, and dashed into another alley. But Mikey had already spotted her. “I’ve got you now!” He ran as fast as he could, hardly even slowing down as he turned sharply into the alley, getting ready to make his next move-!

**_*SPLASH!*_ **

Mikey squawked as he was blasted by the cold water. It seemingly came out of nowhere, yet it completely drenched him from every angle. “What the-?!” he sputtered as he heard giggles from just a few feet away. He lifted up his soaked mask, wiping the water from his eyes enough for him to open them.

He could now see an elaborate system of water guns, all held up with clothesline string tied onto pipes with yarn tied to their triggers. The yarn all led to the hand of the thief, who was still in a fit of victorious laughter. “Heh, thanks Waiter, glad SOMEONE from that place fell hook, line and sinker for it,” she grinned, “Would’ve been a pain to try and lead some random humans here.” Though after he nearly knocking her hat off the last time, she really wished it had been the skeleton man she had soaked instead. 

Mikey scowled at her, though between his wet clothes and his shivering from both them and the wind, he wasn’t too intimidating. Still, he managed to grumble, “Very funny! But your little prank’s over, so give back what you stole and-”

Keeping her eyes locked with Mikey’s, the girl lifted up the remainder of the stolen cucumber and ate it whole.

“... _Okayyyy_ ,” Mikey said, giving her a flat look now, “how about this instead? You’re going to come back and pay for what you stole-”

“Sorry, can’t,” she told him, brushing her hand on her dress before pulling out one of her empty pockets. “Totally broke, hence the stealing. Duh. But you get it, right, Waiter?”

In a way, Mikey did, but there was a big difference between stealing from dumpsters to survive and stealing from a restaurant for fun. “Eh, I’m sure my boss can find you some dishes to wash as payment,” Mikey sniffed, crossing his arms.

“Hmph, you and what army?” Before Mikey could answer, she pulled the strings in her hand once more. But this time, Mikey was prepared. With a whoop, he leapt up as high as he could, leading to only his ankles and feet getting wet. The net of water guns wasn’t nearly strong enough to stand on but it _was_ just strong enough to use as a balance, helping him flip over the trap and land just a foot or so away from the thief. 

“HA!” Mikey grinned, “What d’you think of th-GAH!”

“Ha, yourself,” the girl said, sticking her tongue out as she emptied nearly half her personal water gun’s load right into the box turtle’s face. 

“Heyyy,” Mikey whined, wiping his eyes again, “Quit it!” He swiped at her, but with his vision partially blinded once more, it was easily avoided. Growling, Mikey then tried to tackle her and managed to grab onto her arm - and got a sharp stomp to the foot for it. 

“You might as well quit while you’re ahead,” she told him, still aiming her water gun at him, “If you try to drag me back there, I’ll scream, and that’s not good for either of us.”

Mikey stared at her for a moment, and sighed. As much as he hated to admit it, she had him cornered. He couldn’t very well attract attention to what was supposed to be a secret mystic pizzeria or to himself. He didn't exactly want to knock her out either, despite everything she had put him through.

“Though, if you wanna avoid all this next time,” she continued, putting her gun down and instead fluttering her eyelashes a bit as she tried to look innocent, “You could just let me have all the food I want and save yourself the trouble. A little free food now and then can’t hurt you guys that much, right?”

“No way, girl, nuh uh!” Mikey glared back at her, “And don’t you try and threaten me with more water either, got it? If anything, _I_ should be warning _you!_ You’re talkin’ to a guy with some sweet ninja skills, and if you try stealin’ from us again, then you’d better believe you’re gonna get a personal demonstration of ‘em! You don't wanna mess with THIS bouncer!”

“A waiter AND a ninja? Uh huh, sure,” the girl said as she rolled her eyes, “Besides you’re, what, twelve? Yeah, I bet I could beat you in a fight.”

Mikey visibly bristled at that. “ _I’m_ _thirteen!_ You- You’re the one who looks young!” he shot back, pointing a finger at her, “AND I’m taller than you, so what do you think of THAT?”

“Hmph, you’re just barely taller than me. Oh, and by the way-” she put a thumb to her chest, “-thirteen and a half. So, yeah, older.”

“Yeah well, I’ve fought bad guys that are wayyy older,” Mikey retorted, smirking now. She may have tricked him a couple times, but she was still just some punk with a water gun, hardly dangerous to him. “And way bigger too. Like, giant oak tree big, some of ‘em!”

The thief tilted her head a bit, seeming genuinely curious. “Oh really? Wow… Well, maybe we should fight then, just to see _for sure_ who could beat who.” 

The box turtle’s eyes lit up a bit at that suggestion. He may not have been the Fighter of his family, that title still belonged to Raph, but he would still be more than happy to throw down when challenged. “Works for me!” Already raring to go, Mikey prepared to make the first move - and in a motion fast enough to rival even Leo’s speed, the girl raised her gun and fired. Mikey just barely managed to back up in time, and almost got himself tangled in her web of water guns for it. 

Thankfully, the turtle-like girl wasn’t looking to corner and continue to torment Mikey. Instead, once she had properly stunned him, she again took off running down the alley. “Served you again, Waiter!” he heard her shout, “See you next time!”

Mikey huffed. “Yeah, yeah… Man, what a brat…” With a kunai, he cut down the water guns and tossed them all in the alley’s dumpster. It wouldn’t stop the thief from retrieving them, but it was just petty enough to make Mikey feel a little bit better as he made his way back to Run of the Mill.

As soon as he spotted him (and his still-damp clothes, even with the wind drying them off somewhat), Hueso just stared at him flatly. “So, she got you pretty good, eh? Well, I did try to warn you.”

“Right, ugh,” Mikey grumbled, “Why didn’t you tell us you were dealing with some girl stealing from you? We’d totally be your kitchen security!”

“Oh, please. Having one of you around every few nights is fine, but all four of you? More trouble than it’s worth.” After noticing the look Mikey was giving him, Hueso then added, “No offense. A lock on the pantry would also be a hassle, having to lock it and unlock it each time it was opened. For now, all we can do is keep an eye on her and stop her before she can sneak back in.”

“Already on it,” Mikey told him, more than ready to make good on his promise to her.

“Good,” Hueso nodded, “Oh, and a word of advice: Next time you confront her, try aiming for the head.”

Mikey blinked at that. Sure, he was annoyed at her too but- “Isn’t a headshot kinda harsh?” he asked.

“Just trust me on this, _tortuga_ ,” Hueso said simply, already walking back to his usual observing spot. 

“Huh…” With a shrug, Mikey walked back into the kitchen - and immediately noticed the time. He squeaked, and rushed back over to the pantry. Thankfully there were no more thieves or pranksters to eat up his time, and the pantry had everything he needed for the perfect ‘be my GF’ dessert!

Gathering it all up into his arms, he gave another whoop as he briskly walked back to a free station. “Alright, Magic Mike,” he told himself, “Only got about forty minutes, gotta do this in one shot!” He could do this!

Mikey prepared the dough first, flattening the pale lump and splitting it into three circles. Though, after a moment of consideration, he squashed and molded the crust of the biggest circle juuust a little. After that came the toppings and fillings, the Run of the Mill seasonings, and the hope that this idea of his really would work out just how Mikey planned. He put both dishes in the pizza oven, and as the food baked, he started his pastry bags. Less than twenty minutes now! 

“You got this, baby,” he said, patting the authentic pizza oven, nearly cuddling up to the comfortably warm bricks like they were a flat rock under a heat lamp and only barely being able to pull himself away.

Several minutes later when both dishes came out, one was placed near the oven to keep it warm while the other was thrown into the blast chiller. His special culinary mission of the night was almost complete, and Mikey could practically taste his success! Well, his and Sunita’s.

Speaking of which- “Our special table has just arrived,” Hueso announced from the kitchen doorway, “Michelangelo, how long-?”

“Zero!” Mikey smiled, picking up the pizza platter along with a basket of bread, “Got it already ready to go!” Hueso nodded in approval, stepping aside for the turtle.

The restaurant had gotten a bit more busy, with a few more tables filled plus Frankie’s party that was already well on its way, about a dozen Yokai kids squealing with laughter and amazement as the Googlyschmootz juggled blobs of his own body. 

And in the far corner of the restaurant, a spot that was much more private and hopefully far enough out of the ‘goo zone’, sat Mikey’s best friend/surrogate sister and her hopeful girlfriend to be. Sunita eagerly waved at him while April smiled. “Hey Mikey! Lookin’ great!”

“Thanks, April,” Mikey smiled back, running his free hand over his chef smock, “I gotta say, it's great to be cooking and serving awesome food here, especially when I get to cook for my friends. Oh, b-t-w, got your pizza right here. Enjoy!”

April blinked at the pizza set down in front of her. Sunita tried to hide her giggles, and her date smirked a bit at their waiter for the evening. “Wow, we didn't even have to order or anything. Talk about service,”

“Yeahhh well,” Mikey said, trying to play it smooth, “I heard you guys were comin’ in, so I thought I’d keep you from waiting on it. I DO know what toppings you guys like, after all. Unless you wanted something else-?”

“Oh no, this is great.” April glanced back down at the pizza. On one side was plain cheese (using both mozzarella and Parmesan with a light sprinkling of cheddar) with an extra bit of sauce, a bit boring for someone as exciting as her but still very yummy in April’s opinion. On the other half was Sunita’s signature combination request of ham, bacon and banana peppers that certainly made the slime girl smile.

“Although,” April continued, being just as coy as her brother, “I don't think this pizza is as round as it should be.” That was an understatement, even without her glasses she would've been able to tell that it was meant to be heart-shaped.

Still, Mikey played dumb. “Huh, I wonder how _that_ happened? Oh well! Still should taste good, at least. I’ll check on you guys in a bit, okay?”

“Sounds good.” “Thank you!” Mikey nodded, letting them dig into their pizza in peace as they laughed off their friend’s apparently random decision to be creative with crust.

Once he was back in the kitchen, Mikey went over to the blast chiller and pulled out his dessert, the filling still a bit warm though not bubbling. He knew it would be a bit before he’d bring it out to them, but he wanted as much time as he could to properly decorate.

As he worked, Victor passed by him. “Good sprinkling technique,” he said over the turtle’s shoulder, buzzing with subtle approval, “And it's crust is the right color too.” It might not have been a dish from the menu, but it was still being made in his kitchen. As far as the bee Yokai was concerned, that gave him permission to still critique - or in this case, praise.

“Thanks, Vic,” Mikey grinned, grabbing his bag of melted chocolate. One last finishing touch, and it was done. He placed a silver cover over the dessert, took a moment to brush off anything that might’ve gotten on his smock, and went back out onto the floor.

April and Sunita had eaten about half their pizza, only slowed down by their conversation and laughter between them as they talked about everything from school to home life to just silly anecdotes. Even at a distance, Mikey could see the comfort they had with each other and the joy they gave each other, even through something as mundane as sharing a meal. He was also ready for that joy to be twice as strong.

“How's everything going tonight?” Mikey asked, putting on his ‘totally a professional restaurant employee’ voice.

“It's really great,” Sunita told him, “Thanks so much.” 

“Only the best for my buds! The best pizza and-” he set the small covered platter down, “the best dessert.”

April smiled at him, a slightly exasperated but mostly endeared expression on her face. “Mikey, that's sweet of you, really, but we didn't order this and I don't think Hueso would appreciate you givin’ us free-”

“ _Actually_ ,” Mikey interrupted, “Sunita ordered it.” Completely surprised, April looked over at Sunita, who was once again blushing but didn't break eye contact as she placed her hands over the silver cover.

Like a ninja in the shadows of night, Mikey let himself slip into the pizzeria’s background without them even noticing, standing near the kitchen as he watched the moment unfold while still giving his friends a bit of privacy.

He heard April gasp as the dessert was finally revealed to her: Two lovingly crafted calzones filled with a decadent swirl of peanut butter and melted chocolate chips, a flavor she had loved ever since she was little and still loved to this day. The calzones were also topped with a sprinkling of cinnamon, powdered sugar and, most noticeably of all, the words “BE HERS?” written in chocolate.

Mikey couldn't exactly hear them over the buzz of the other diners, but that didn't matter. He could still see April’s smile, her eyes tearing up a bit as she listened to her date. He could see Sunita, nervous and excited as she poured her heart out. He saw the two of them move to hold each other's hands as April revealed her own feelings. When the question was finally asked out loud, he saw April firmly nod, which led to the two of them stretching over the table to hug as best they could. And, finally… He saw them share their first official kiss.

“Looks like a success,” Fenella told him, taking a spot beside her youngest employee as they both watched the couple happily dig into their dessert.

“Yep,” Mikey nodded simply, the warmth in his center only growing as he watched their reactions to his food, the sweet treat adding to their joy. Mission accomplished.

And that was what it was all about, Mikey decided. Learning about flavors and getting to be creative with different tastes and ingredients was no doubt fun and certainly a big part of his enjoyment of the craft. But being able to use food to elevate a moment, whether it was big or small, and just using what he cooked to make people happy? THAT was what he really loved about cooking, and that was what he loved about working in a restaurant, no matter how many dirty dishes or prankster thieves he had to deal with in the meantime.


	4. Chapter 4

For many, working in damp and slightly smelly sewer pipes weren't exactly ideal artist conditions. But with his rap music loudly playing and providing the perfect beats and his hands (and his paint cans) doing exactly he needed them to do to create the awesome art in his head, Mikey was in far too good of a mood to care about things like a bit of stink or the occasional draft.

Taking a couple steps back, Mikey stared at the mix of colors and images. He liked it, thought it looked great and he had done just what he wanted, but there was still something missing. It just needed a bit more warmth… He reached back behind him for his orange spray paint, and ended up getting a small nip on his finger.

The box turtle giggled, bringing his hand up to his face. “Georgeee, come on, quit it,” he told the adorable tiny unicorn, grinning despite the light scolding. George just stared back at him, swishing its tail and giving a small whine.

Gently, Mikey pulled George off and put him back near the other six Georges that were keeping him company as he worked. As far as Mikey could tell, the unicorns didn't actually need to eat or do anything to survive, living to be traded for goods and tips without a care in the world, but that didn't stop them from being mischievous whenever they had the chance. Thankfully, they seemed to be fairly entertained by the music videos playing on Mikey’s phone.

With that little problem solved, Mikey turned back to his mural. Around the edges, he added more orange, yellow and brown streaks, even using his hands to help mix it all together. Above it, he threw on some black before spraying out a stylized “ _Bon Appetit_ ”. He grinned, taking a moment to soak it all in. “Now that’s art, baby.”

“I’ll say,” a voice said suddenly, just quiet and familiar enough to keep Mikey from jumping.

“Thanks,” Mikey nodded, grinning back at Raph, “Between that fight we had with Stinkbomb and that lead Donnie got on a mystic metal piece, I wasn’t sure if I’d even get to _start_ it before my next set of shifts, let alone finish it.”

Raph gave a short grunt in reply, his attention still firmly on his youngest brother’s mural. The colors were immediately recognizable, there was no denying that the palate had been inspired by Run of the Mill. ...Though, it was a bit hard to focus on the colors with all the eyes.

Not creepy or graphic eyeballs that stared you down, but just eyes. Some were in pairs while others were sets of multiple eyes all together, and some were just one single eye. A few were looking forward right at Raph, but most of them were looking down or up or in some other direction. The way they were shaped made the gazes seem pretty relaxed, making the mural seem like a group of people that were just chilling and enjoying each other’s warmth and company. ...A group of people that were just eyes.

Okay fine, so it was still a bit weird, but it was Mikey-Weird, so it was still good. 

“Hey, speakin’ of your job,” Raph said, finally able to break contact with the eyes the box turtle had spray painted all over one of their neighboring pipes, “How’s it been going? You don’t really talk about it much, and it’s been a few weeks, so-”

“Oh! Well, I didn’t wanna _brag_ or anything,” Mikey explained, his smile curling into a smirk, “You know, about me having the BEST JOB _EVER!_ Which has been going GREAT by the way!” 

Raph smirked back at him, not at all surprised with his brother’s excitement about it. “Oh?”

“Yeah! I’m learning wayyyy more about different cooking techniques and mystic ingredients an’ all that than I ever would just lookin’ through videos on the web, I’ve made lots of friends with the other cool and super talented chefs there, _and_ I get to meet lots of cool yokai and mutants whenever they have me out on the floor serving. And you know that ‘send my compliments to the chef’ thing from tv? That’s a real thing, and I’ve been gettin’ TONS of ‘em!” 

Mikey felt a couple tiny hooves taps on his foot. “Plus the tips are pretty great too,” he added, picking up another Uni-George and setting it on his paint splattered shoulder, “Even if I don’t have much to spend ‘em on. But yeah, other than the nights where I'm mostly doing dishes and takin’ out the trash, it's been great!”

“Cool, cool,” Raph nodded as he tried his best to keep his tone casual, “So, no issues there? No one’s given you a hard time? None of our enemies showin’ up to try and ambush you?”

Understanding his big bro’s concern somewhat, Mikey managed to keep from rolling his eyes. “Well, Hypno and the worm guy did come in one night, but they were just there on a date. I didn’t even serve them, I just saw ‘em, but they didn’t try to cause any trouble or anything.” Not unless Warren trying to get a small ‘ex-famous magician and news reporter’s discount’ counted as trouble.

Though, as he kept thinking about it, his mind did remind him of a certain prankster-thief. “There was this one girl that snatched a couple cucumbers from us, and then sprayed me with a bunch of water when I tried to chase her down.”

Raph tilted his head. “Why the heck was she stealin’ cucumbers and not pizzas or cash or whatever?”

“No idea,” Mikey shrugged, putting his hands behind his head as he leaned back some, “All I know is that Hueso and I are gonna make sure she doesn’t do it again. There’s been a couple pretty rude customers too, I guess. Stuff like a guy having too much to drink or someone being too loud, but even they aren't too bad. So yeah, no biggie - which means you can _stop worrying_ , Raphael.”

“I- What, I wasn't worrying,” Raph insisted, despite the wince on his face claiming otherwise, “I was just, you know, curious about work stuff and uh- and stuff.”

“Uh huh, suuuuure,” Mikey said, rolling his eyes a bit, his arms crossed.

Raph scowled back at him. “Ugh, whatever. I'm gonna go see what Leo and Don are doin’. You wanna come along?”

The box turtle hummed. While he was pretty much done with his mural, he did enjoy his alone time, plus there were still a few smaller things he wanted to at least sketch out. “Nah,” Mikey said finally, “Think I'm just gonna chill here until I gotta go work my shift, but thanks!”

“Oh. ...Well, okay. See you later, man.” Raph lingered a bit, as if Mikey would end up changing his mind, but it never happened. So, with a bit of a frown, the snapper made his way through the tunnel, back into the main atrium. 

With a small climb up one of their ramps, he entered the arcade, where the twins were in a fierce Pants Pants Revolution battle. Leo was making awful dance puns and proud boasts with each ‘Excellent!’ or ‘Perfect’ rating while Donnie would either try to shove his twin or accidentally-on-purpose step on his foot. Of course, this just encouraged the slider, and the two’s cycle of taunting and retaliation would continue as the peppy pop music continued to play.

Raph shook his head a bit. He didn't always understand the relationship between his blue and purple brothers, how they could antagonize and insult each other in one moment and then be close and perfectly in sync the next. He’d lost count over how many times they'd joke about kicking the other off the team or claiming their twin was ‘the absolute worst’, yet when the chips were down, they never once failed to have each other’s shells, their love for each other as clear as day. But hey, if it worked for them then Raph supposed he didn't have too much of a problem with it.

With Donnie managing to get one last ‘perfect’ in the final moments of the song, he won the battle by the skin of his teeth. “What was that you were saying about your superior dancing skills, Leon?” He smirked, “Because the evidence says otherwise.”

“Uhh, just cause you got a few lucky steps in doesn't mean my skills aren't legit,” Leo retorted, “Or did you just forget all the perfects I was getting just a minute ago?” The two bantered for a bit longer before finally noticing Raph. “Hey bro, you wanna play winner?”

“Which was me, in case you forgot,” Donnie added, earning another scowl from Leo.

“Yeah, sure, maybe. But first, I just wanted to ask,” Raph began to say, “What do you guys think about Mikey’s job? I mean, it seems like he's workin’ a lot-”

“Uhh, he literally just had a few nights off,” Leo pointed out.

“And he's only working like half the week,” Donnie added, “Which is exactly what he told us he would be working.”

“Yeah, well, it still feels like he's working a lot, you know?” Raph tried to explain, not really having the proper words to do so.

The twins exchanged a look. “...Overprotective older brother say what?” Leo said.

“What? Wait, no- Ugh! I'm not bein’ overprotective, alright? I'm just, you know- I'm just-!” Raph groaned again, words failing. He really wasn't trying to be overprotective, he knew Mikey would be just fine. But, at the same time, he couldn't deny that not having his youngest brother around as much for one reason or another was a bit worrying. ...And, maybe a bit lonely.

Honestly, Leo and Donnie did somewhat understand. Raph and Mikey were really close, often being the most energetic and emotional members of the team, leading to plenty of support and understanding between them. It was really no surprise that Raph kind of missed his orange brother being around as much as he used to. 

“Look, bud,” Leo said, walking over and putting a hand on Raph’s arm, “Mikey’s fine! He's just trying to do his own thing for a bit! Remember when Dad first let you go up to the surface without having to take any of us with you? You were gone at least a couple hours a night, and dude, you ALWAYS wanted to go alone.”

Raph frowned, but he didn't bother trying to defend that. He could clearly remember those nights as a bright eyed thirteen year old too, how excited he was to check out places that his brothers might have not been interested in, or to just have a few hours where he didn't have to be the somewhat responsible one of the group. 

“And, statistically speaking,” Donnie added as he leaned on the back bar of the dancing game, “Part time jobs at restaurants, while boring and occasionally frustrating according to my resources-” i.e. April and her many, MANY experiences at crappy part time jobs- “are still some of the safest job positions out there. That, combined with Mikey’s ninja skills and the above-average security of Run of the Mill, leaves little to actually worry about.”

Raph sighed. “You're not tellin’ me anything I don't already know here, Donnie…” Lousy big brother mindset. As justified as it sometimes felt, Raph could certainly understand how Mikey could be annoyed with it. “I know Mikey’ll be just fine, and that he's still HERE even if he's gone half the time, but I just… I dunno.”

The twins exchanged another look, this one more sympathetic. “...Well, this break’s lasted a bit longer than planned so I’d better get going,” Donnie said, awkwardly removing himself from the conversation, not having much more advice to give, “Upgrades to install, experiments to complete, y’know, that sort of thing.” Though, as he left, he did give his big brother a small pat on the back.

Leo didn't have much advice left to give either, but he did have video games, which were a pretty worthy substitute in his opinion. “So… You up for taking on the champ?” He asked, nudging Raph a bit, “I’ll even let you pick the gaaaame~”

Raph managed a small smile. If Mikey was fine, then so was he. “You are so goin’ down,” he told Leo, not even giving him a chance to start taunting him and instead grabbing and tucking Leo in under his armpit as he dragged his now VERY loudly complaining brother (which only made Raph chuckle) over to the Super Street Fighter cabinet.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

“-And you see how these are browning? That’s EXACTLY how you want them to look. Just be careful, alright? When you mix ‘em with ember oil, they only take a few seconds to cook. Anymore than that, and you’re left with nothing but charcoal.”

Mikey nodded, trying to look professional, even if he was totally hyped on the inside. He had never seen oil that could light itself on fire, no actual open flame or heat required and only taking a bit of dirt and salt to snuff out. “Yokai cooking is so lit!” He grinned, watching as Roger careful tilted the still-flaming pan towards his open plate, “Literally!”

“Heh, no doubt about that,” the rooster chef agreed, his bright green mohawk bouncing slightly as he nodded, “It’s a shame most human folks on the surface get so skittish around yokai. We could really help ‘em out, but I guess they wanna do things the ‘normal’ way, whatever that is to them.”

Mikey scoffed. “You mean the _boring_ way.” 

Roger chuckled, definitely agreeing with that. Carefully, he then placed each warm bit of acid-garlic (“Just a name,” Roger had assured Mikey earlier, “It’s just spicy enough to be compared to acid burnin’ your tongue.”) onto the pizza, finishing it off. “Pizza up!” he shouted, holding the platter up. A waiter that looked like a mix between an angler fish and a leaf monster stretched a vine through the pick-up window and took it with ease. “Thanks, Agatha!”

“So, could you use ember oil to cook anything?” Mikey asked curiously, “Pizzas, stews, chilis-?”

Roger laughed a bit, shaking his head. “Nah, to cook those things, the oil you’d need would probably burn it to a crisp in a second, and probably burn down the rest of your kitchen with it. ...Although, I have cooked dumplings and onion rings with ember oil - and with the former, you can add a certain herb that when combined with the oil gives the dumplings a sort of ‘internal flame’. It don’t make ‘em spicy or anything, but it’ll keep them hot for several hours - even if they’re sitting out in the open - and eatin’ ‘em will keep YOU warm for a whole day.”

Mikey groaned, nearly purring at the idea of that. “Sounds great for a lunch in the middle of winter, which my fam is DEFINITELY gonna need in a few weeks once the snow starts falling.”

“Heh, well-” Roger glanced over at the clock, and saw that it was nearly the top of the hour. Just about eight minutes before Mikey’s shift started and Roger was allowed to clock out. “We don’t have any more time now, but tell you what, you stay a little later the next time we share the same shift, and I’ll show you how to make ‘em.”

“That sounds great!” Mikey grinned, “Thanks!” The rooster nodded at him, more than happy to teach one of his favorite recipes. 

Over by the dessert station, Banji shared the same sort of proud and endeared smile. Mikey had been just as excited when he had mastered the noodle technique Banji had taught him a few shifts ago, making for the perfect structure for the perfect Run of the Mill yokai-style lasagna. 

It took each of them either coming in early or staying late to teach Mikey the things that he might not have learned right away on the job, but it was certainly worth it. In a way, Mikey sort of reminded them of themselves, give or take a few centuries. Even Victor was starting to sort of soften up around him, despite the buzzing chef’s everpresent sternness. 

Though as fun as cooking was, the dining room was becoming just as enjoyable to be in. With a few minutes left to kill until the official start of his shift and not really knowing which area he would be assigned to, Mikey decided to quickly check out the front of the house, just to see if any of his favorite customers were there that night. 

Run of the Mill was fairly busy (no surprise there, given it was a Friday night), but no familiar faces jumped out to him right away, other than Fenella and a couple other waiters he had gotten to know, who Mikey waved at. Although, over by the far wall of the pizzeria, he did eventually spot a familiar skeleton in a hat and hoodie who was currently looking over a thin booklet, his brow a bit furrowed.

“Hey there, Hueso Junior!” Mikey greeted as he walked over to the side of the small table. As always, Junior stiffened a bit, but he didn’t try to leave or hide his face in his booklet, so Mikey took that as a good sign. “So, whatcha doin’?” He looked over the skeleton teen’s shoulder, and while he couldn’t read the yokai characters within the booklet (or the other booklets and papers beside it) it still had a sort of ‘academic’ vibe to it. “Homework?”

“Um, sort of,” Junior replied quietly, still not looking Mikey in the eyes as he shuffled his booklet and the few sheets of paper he had into his lap, “Just, new school stuff, i-it is nothing interesting…”

“Ohhhh…” He had remembered Hueso saying something about how Junior was homeschooled, but now that he was no longer a wanted man in the Hidden City, it made sense that Hueso would want his son to go to an actual school. “Well, that it’ll be fun!”

Junior’s frown deepened as he scoffed under his breath, clearly not agreeing. “Well, _I_ think going to school would be pretty cool,” Mikey continued, “Even with all the not so cool stuff about it. Same with my bros - heh, one of them especially would LOVE to go to school. He even sneaks into human schools sometimes when our sis needs him. He’s all about that science life!” And now that he knew that there were also yokai schools and colleges, maybe he could pass the info along to Donnie, and the two of them could try and convince their pop to let him go to one. Though, college would be pretty expensive - way more than pizzeria tips could cover - and there was still Draxum to deal with too…

“...The purple one, right?” Junior said suddenly, pulling the box turtle out of his thoughts.

“Oh. Yeah! How’d you know?”

The skeleton boy hesitated, looking a bit unsure before answering. “Because a few months ago, I heard my father talking about how some ‘crazy _tortuga_ in purple’ tried putting several jars of spices onto one slice of pizza and made a huge mess of everything when he chugged an entire mug of milk afterwards.”

Junior had hoped Mikey wouldn’t get offended by this, but Mikey instead just laughed. “Yep, that’s Donnie alright. The guy’s so weird - he has these really specific tastes, but he’ll also do things like making something as spicy as possible for the ‘sake of science’ or whatevs, or just ‘cause he likes the spice and wants an excuse for overindulging in it. Either way, yeah, he’s pretty crazy.”

Relaxing a bit now, Junior chuckled along with him. “Not that I can really blame him. I enjoy plenty of spice on my food too, just not enough to set my jaw on fire.”

“True that,” Mikey nodded, “Though, I prefer a mix of flavors, you know? Like, you take a bite and you get that heat right away, but then after a bit of chewing you start to get that really sweet or savory flavor that just ties it all together. A bite where you never really know what to expect next!”

“Heh, I suppose that would be nice too…” If he talked like that about food, Junior could see why his father would want to hire him, even with the reputation he and his brothers had in their family’s pizzeria. ‘Better him than me,’ the young skeleton thought to himself.

“Yep! ...Well, I guess I’ll get to work, since I probably only have a couple minutes left till my shift,” Mikey said, taking a moment to stretch as if he were preparing for a spar rather than a few hours of work, “Oh and sorry for bothering you. I just really wanted to say hi since I don't see you ‘round too often.”

“...I didn’t mind it too much,” Junior admitted quietly, looking away again but sounding genuine. 

Mikey blinked, then smiled. “Aww, thanks bud! I liked hangin’ out with you too! You’re a pretty cool guy.”

Junior chuckled again. “Hardly… but _gracias._ ” Mikey was a little loud and overly friendly, but at least he wasn’t overbearing. He was unusual but… comfortable? He couldn’t exactly call most people outside of his family comfortable to be around, so Junior could appreciate that, at least. 

With his shift already starting out on the right foot, Mikey went back into the kitchen and recieved his assignment for the evening. The dining room was pretty well staffed but the kitchen was missing a member who had called in sick, so Victor told him to float between the sides/salad station and the pizzas, switching off whenever they received too many pizza orders for the current chef on that station to handle.

Because of this, Mikey did have to rush a little to keep up, but he didn’t mind. He knew speed and having dinner rushes were all part of the job, and his vibes (at least in that moment) were far too positive for him to get flustered. “Two salads, and a gluten-free bread, comin’ up crisp and hot!” he shouted, passing his plates along to the waiter they belonged to, “Hey Vic, any more orders for me up there?”

“Not right now, no,” Victor called back as he examined the dessert plate that were about to go out, “But don’t slack off just because you have no tickets!”

“Copy that!” Switching gears, he turned around and went over to the pizza station. The winged dog chef there already had a few pizzas made and ready to go into the oven, but they were sure to get plenty more within just a few minutes, so Mikey started prepping the dough.

Unfortunately, he only managed to get one ball of dough floured and rolled out before a commotion from the front of the house caused him to look up. For a moment, he thought it was another proposal, but the customers didn’t exactly sound happy. More like… panick-y.

The door swung open as one of the bat waiters swooped in, fear all over his face. “Boss Bruce is back!” he announced, causing most of the chefs to gasp. 

“Ugh, aren’t we supposed to be warned ahead of time for customers like him?” Victor buzzed angrily, though that didn’t stop his body from beginning to shake nervously. 

“Seriously?!” Mikey shouted, “He actually came back after we whooped his butt last time?”

The bat looked at him in disbelief. “After you _what?!”_ Mikey didn’t bother answering him, instead moving past the winged waiter to see for himself.

As was to be expected, the dining room was more than a little chaotic. Most of the customers - including Junior, who now had his hood up over his head as he moved - were bailing, tossing a few bills or cocoons onto their tables and not bothering to stick around for change or packed-up leftovers. Not that they would’ve gotten it, a lot of waiters and waitresses were leaving too, each yokai giving Boss Bruce a wide berth as they skittered past him and out the hidden mystic entrance. 

As for the mob boss himself, he was just as Mikey had remembered him. Dark red skin with sharp icy-blue eyes (er, eye) and a VERY impatient look, his sneering lip curling up just enough to reveal his fangs. One big difference though was, instead of two snake guys beside him, there were two _more_ dragons! They were a bit younger than Bruce, their scales more pinkish than red, but they were no less intimidating or cruel. One of the dragons even tried to burn customers as they ran out, chuckling as he would occasionally lunge forward, blowing just enough fire at them to make people cower or stumble.

Mikey however didn’t dare cower, instead glaring as he clenched his fists tightly. “Nuh uh, no way! They are SO not gonna get away with this!” He started to march forward, hand already inching towards his hidden kusari fundo when a harsh whisper stopped him. 

_“Michaelangelo!”_ Hearing his name, he turned and saw Fenella, her hair-face sticking out through Hueso’s slightly opened door. “Get over here, hurry!” she hissed.

Mikey obeyed, if only to keep his dining room boss from freaking out. “Don’t worry, Fen,” he insisted once he was at the door, “My brother, Leo, and I fought this guy before. Him AND his mob boss rival! He may have a little extra muscle this time, but trust me, I’ve got this-”

“No, you do NOT ‘have this’,” a new voice spoke before Fenella could even try to argue. Hueso rose from his desk, abandoning the bills and financial paperwork he had been working on in order to give his youngest staff member a VERY stern look. “You will not fight them, you will not even interact with them!” Hueso ordered, “You will stay in the kitchen and cook while I serve, understand?” Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Fenella giving him a small nod of gratitude, even if she still looked concerned.

“Wait, what?!” Mikey squawked, “Senor, do you SERIOUSLY not remember the last time-?”

“Of course I do!” the skeleton snapped, “Which is precisely why you will remain hidden! Seeing the boy who kicked them out last time would no doubt get them in an even worse mood.”

“Which won’t matter if I just kick ‘em out now!” Mikey insisted, “C’mon, chico! I’ll have them out on their tails before they can even blow one more fireball!”

Unfortunately despite the box turtle’s boasting (or maybe because of it), Hueso’s boney face just became more and more stressed. “You saw the dragons he has with him, yes? Between the three of them, I can _assure you_ that they would burn my restaurant to the ground before you could throw one punch! They could do that NOW if they wanted to, and it is frankly a miracle that they aren’t. His cousins are not the only fire-breathers under Bruce’s control either! So please, _pepino_ , for the sake of my restaurant, either do what I ask or leave.”

Mikey bit his lip as he felt his own fire build up within him. It wasn’t fair that his friend had to cow to these jerks just cause they were stronger. But, Hueso also had a point… And Mikey might’ve used mystic fire in battle, but he wasn’t fireproof. So, reluctantly, he nodded. Hueso patted him on the shell, quietly thanking him. 

With his ninja skills, Mikey was easily able to get back to the kitchen undetected while Fenella slipped out the back and Hueso ‘happily’ welcomed the Masters of Barbarianism. 

“So this is the bag of bones that had the guts to stand up to my cousin and his boys,” Mikey heard one of the pink dragons snicker as he poked Hueso in the chest, “Funny, I thought you’d look a LOT tougher, and not be made out of chicken bones.” Of course, Hueso just nervously chuckled as he led the scaly trio over to their table. Mikey growled, but remained unseen.

Thankfully, Mikey wasn’t the only one in the kitchen. While most of the other chefs ducked out, Banji and Victor stuck around. One mob boss wasn’t nearly as bad as two, even if he was a fire breather, and they figured it was the least they could do after bailing the last time. 

However, Banji’s light wit and Victor’s sternness were absent as they worked, leaving the two silent and the atmosphere in the normally comfortable kitchen heavy. Mikey hated that almost as much as he hated hearing all the insults and lowkey threats that Hueso was just taking with a smile as he tried to keep the dragons entertained. His co-workers must of noticed this, given the sympathetic looks they would occasionally give both him and Hueso whenever their boss came back to pick up more food.

“I wish my bros were here,” Mikey mumbled as he kneeded more dough, “between the four of us, Bruce and his bozos wouldn’t stand a chance…” This wasn’t just pride or itching for a fun fight, this was being unable to help a friend that genuinely needed them, and it really REALLY sucked...

“Unfortunately, not all threats can be solved with fighting,” Victor told him, not even looking up from the dish he was working on. Banji however did place a comforting paw on Mikey’s arm as he passed by, understanding the turtle’s frustration. 

Still, the three of them managed to make a feast of pizzas and other fantastic, tasty and filling dishes that pleased all three dragons. Of course, this didn’t stop Bruce from going without paying, nor did it stop him from lifting Hueso up by his collar and bringing him up to his snout. 

“You know, Hueso, I was thinking about teaching you a lesson tonight after showin’ my cousins a good meal,” Bruce told him. Said cousins flashed a wide, toothy grin at the shaking skeleton. “But, it seems like you already know your place. More than those turtle waiter-bouncers of yours from last time did, at least. Hmph, if only they were here. I would’ve loved to roast their shells…” 

Mikey glared at him through the window on the double kitchen doors. “Hmph, I’d like to see you try, dragon breath,” he mumbled. 

“Still, I suppose I can let it go for now. After all, this nice place of yours _does_ have pretty good food. It’d be a shame to see it go up in smoke.” Bruce snorted, blowing a thick puff of smoke right into Hueso’s face. “So, we’ll leave you and your place in one piece. ...For now.”

Holding back his coughs and tears, Hueso nodded. “Y-Yes, a-! A thousand thank yous, Boss Bruce!” Bruce just huffed, dropping the skeleton back onto the floor. His cousins laughed, growling and prodding him with a claw or two before following Bruce out the door. Once the dragons were gone, Hueso let out a long sigh, his bones relaxing so much that it was a wonder they didn’t detach from one another. 

“...You alright?” he heard a young voice ask him as a three fingered hand was offered to him.

Hueso managed a small smile, accepting the help up. “As I said before, Michael, my body can be healed, but my heart lives in my restaurant. As long as she is fine, then I will be fine. Besides, it is not as if this is my first time experiencing such threats.” It may have been a total surprise this time, but he still allowed the Masters as well as other mobs that did business on the surface to make reservations and be served, even if he didn’t exactly want to…

Mikey seemed to realize this, and scowled once more. “Okay fine, I couldn’t have taken those guys alone, but you can still ask us to fight for you when you need us! You know me and my family would help you, right?”

“I do… And I saw for myself that you are just as skilled at fighting as you are at cooking and serving,” Hueso said slowly, “But, you are all still _children,_ and I was too distracted the last time you and your brother fought for me to remember this fact. You aren’t a gang, and are certainly not an army. Bruce, along with his fellow mob bosses, have much more power than you or I - even more so on the surface where there aren’t as many Yokai laws to follow. They may lose a fight, but with enough anger and need for revenge, they could absolutely _dominate_ a war before it even begins. So, unless I want a target on my back-”

“The best you can do is just be nice to them and hope they don’t decide to wreck your place for fun,” Mikey finished, sighing. He understood what Hueso was saying, but at the same time- “That’s just so unfair.”

“Life is not always fair, _mijo_ ,” Hueso told him, “And sometimes, we must accept this and move on.” He glanced around at his empty pizzeria, and then gave a tired sigh of his own. “Help out with the dishes and then head home for the evening. I know it is still a couple hours before you usually leave, but I doubt we will be getting many more customers before closing.”

“Fiiiine…” Mikey agreed, spirit too low to even mind doing a bunch of dirty dishes. As he washed, his mind wandered towards Lou Jitsu movies of all things. Teriyaki Shakedown had always been one of his family’s favorites, and he had seen the opening scene so many times that he could clearly picture it in his mind. 

The humble noodle shop, the two bad guys demanding free food, and finally, the seemingly normal noodle maker - the great hero Lou Jitsu - swiftly dunking the two mobsters into bowls of soup, effectively ending the conflict with a single action move and one infamous line. “Guess life can’t be exactly like the movies,” Mikey told himself as he grabbed another plate.

Once the two drying racks near the sink were filled with now-clean dishes, Victor and Banji wished him a good night. Mikey did the same, giving them each a small smile as he headed out, only stopping by the restroom to take off his uniform and stuff it into the small pack on his belt. He also grabbed his orange hoodie off the coat rack near the maitre d’s spot, slipping it on as soon as he walked through the portal as he prepared for the chill outside. 

But, as it turned out, Mikey was still pretty recognizable even without his smock. After only a few steps, he heard a voice sing out in the darkness of the alley.

“What the-?” He looked all around, and spotted a figure grinning at him from behind a dumpster. 

“Got any leftover cucumber salads or veggie pizzas in the back?” she teased, a hand already resting on her water gun’s handle.

But Mikey just scowled at her. “If you’re here to try stealin’ again, I’m not in the mood and neither is anyone else, so just go alright? ‘Cause I am _so done_ with dealin’ with jerks tonight...”

“Whoa, geez,” the turtle girl said, putting her hands on her hips as she stepped out into the open, “Who said I was here to steal anything or mess with anyone? For all you know, I could’ve been here for a nice honest meal, and frankly I’m a little hurt. Way to just assume, dude.”

Mikey deflated a little. “...Okay fine, my bad. Sorry for assuming.”

“You’re forgiven,” the girl told him. Though, after a moment, she did admit with a shrug, “But to be fair, I was stopping by just to see if there was anyone leaving that I could mess with.”

Mikey’s expression flattened. “Really?”

“Hey, I’m just being honest! Which is technically the right thing to do, if we’re trying to play the morality card here. But now it’s your turn. What’s got you so grumpy?”

Mikey didn’t know why he would even consider telling her. He knew she was only asking because she was curious and not because she would actually care. Buuuut at the same time, he could definitely use a good vent sesh, and home was still several minutes away (plus, who knew if his family was even available to listen to him). So, he gave in. “It was just a rough night here, really rough.”

“Oh?” the girl replied, “What, did someone throw a fit about not getting the right amount of toppings?”

“Nah… We had to serve Boss Bruce and his family.” The girl winced, giving an ‘oof’ with it. “What, you know ‘im?”

“Dude, he’s one of the biggest mob bosses in the Hidden City. EVERYONE knows him,” she answered, “And after dealing with him the whole night, I’m surprised you’re just grumpy and not, you know, dead. Or at least burned.”

Mikey huffed. “Hueso didn’t want me fightin’ him, as much as I wanted to. Just… a really sucky situation all together, you know?” The girl hummed, staring at him for a moment.

“...You know, the Hidden City is a good place to blow off steam, and since this place isn’t gonna be any fun tonight, I was just about to head down there myself. You wanna come with?”

Mikey looked at her, waiting for her to say “Just kidding!” or something like that, but it never came. Still, while he was pretty trusting at times, he wasn’t a fool. “Is this another trap?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.

“Not at the moment,” the girl smirked, “But even if it turns out to be one, I’m sure your ‘ninja skills’ can get you out of it. Unless they aren’t as great as you cracked them up to be.”

“Oh, I KNOW my ninja skills are legit,” Mikey insisted, smirking back at her, “And there’s no way I’d let you trick me again!”

“Oh, I don’t know about that, I am pretty much a pro at pranks,” she retorted coolly, brushing a braid back behind her shoulder, “So, does that mean you’re in? Unless you don’t think you can handle it, being from the surface and all.”

Mikey thought about it. He had only been to the Hidden City a couple times, and he had been inspired and amazed each time. He wanted to see more, to truly see what their mystic sister city had to offer. Though, with all the coolness and thrills, there was also danger and risk… But by this point, he felt like a master of getting himself out of trouble. He had the skills, and as long as he kept his wits and kept an eye out for gargoyles or sheepman, Mikey felt pretty confident that he could find his way back home even if this prankster-thief ended up ditching him. Besides, after all he had to deal with that night and all the negative emotions still built up in his head, it really did feel like he could use some fun. 

With that in mind, he answered with a grin, “I’m SO in.”

The girl smiled back at him, now all the more eager to get going. “Alright, suit yourself - though I am glad to see you’re more kappa than chicken, turtle.”

He didn’t know what a kappa was, but Mikey took it as a compliment. “The name’s Michaelangelo, Mikey for short,” he told her as he followed her out of the alley, “And you are…?”

Mikey, huh? Well, it was better than just calling him Waiter, especially if doing that didn’t even get a rise out of him. “Michika,” the girl told him, glancing back, “Michi if you feel like being friendly, and Chichi if you wanna get knocked out. On that note, hope you know what you’re getting yourself into, Mikaboo.”

“It’s Mikey,” he insisted, “And trust me, girl: I’ve got this.”


	5. Chapter 5

It took a few minutes to reach a Hidden City entrance. Mikey could remember Leo saying something about how some dumpster somewhere apparently had an entrance in it, but luckily Michika didn’t go for that one. 

Instead, she went a couple blocks to an alley in-between two apartment buildings that had been deemed structurally unsound and unsafe. Perfect place for a mystic hidden entrance. Just as she had dozens of times before, Michika walked up to the wall, only taking a moment to find the familiar bricks. With her index finger, she tapped the first brick twice, then did the same to the second brick, then the third, then finally she hit the fourth with her entire fist.

In an instant, the cement between the bricks glowed blue and separated, revealing the bright portal behind with. Mikey felt a slight pinch of deja vu, the portal looking so similar to the one he and his family first took when they went after Mayhem. “After you,” Michika smirked, gesturing to the mystic entrance.

Mikey didn't need to be asked twice. With a loud _“COWABUNGA!”,_ the orange turtle dove right into the portal, showing no signs of fear whatsoever. The trip was just as much as a rush as it always was, the speed of the fall making him both scream and smile. It was only when the mystic tube opened back up, showing the killer concrete coming up fast, that Mikey lost his grin and pushed his focus back to the front of his mind.

The box turtle curled up slightly, catching the pavement with his hands instead of his feet and rolling into a masterfully done somersault to avoid a mess of bruises and road burn. “Phew!” Mikey sighed as he stopped his roll, giving his heart a chance to settle from the trip.

Just a couple feet beside him, he heard Michika land in a crouch as the portal behind them closed. She adjusted her straw hat slightly, checking something that Mikey couldn't quite see, before relaxing. “Heh, a lot more fun than those trains the humans take, huh?” she asked him.

“Totally!” Mikey grinned back. As long as they actually took him where he wanted to go and the landing wasn't too bad, he was more than happy to travel by mystic portal. Standing up, he quickly took in all that he could see, his excitement returning by the second.

Rather than being in an alleyway, they were now in a small courtyard near a wall that separated a public garden from the busy streets of the Hidden City. A few Yokai who were sitting on the benches in the courtyard gave them a quick glance, but otherwise let them be. The sky always seemed to be a different color each time they visited. This time, it was a beautiful and stunning dark blue with streaks of gold-colored clouds. All the small shops and restaurants on the street were lit up with inviting lights and lanterns, selling both familiar and completely unusual (at least to him) mystic wares. 

Yokai of all sizes and species passed them by as they continued their evening business, and above the crowds and skyline Mikey could also spot the occasional flying or floating creature. A small swarm of fireflies that glowed so bright they looked more like orbs, a couple fluttering and squeaking pigeon-rats, and even one of those floating heads things, whatever they were. (He made a note to himself to ask either Michika or Hueso about it later.) “I've said it before, and I’ll say it again: This place is SO cool!” 

“Yeah, it’s pretty great,” Michika shrugged as she took the lead once more, “Lots to do and see, at least. One of the better hidden cities out there.”

Mikey’s eyes widened. “Wait, there are MORE hidden cities out there?!”

“Well DUH,” Michika retorted, “There’s millions of yokai out there, do you really think we’d all fit in one city?”

“...I mean, this place is pretty big,” Mikey said in his defense, “And it just seems like it goes on forev-OHMIGOSH!” He grabbed her wrist, stopping her as he pointed at the long trunk (as well as the creature attached to it) that was poking into an apartment window above what looked like a Yokai pharmacy. “Is that an elephant?!”

“No!” Michika nearly laughed, “It’s a Baku! You know, adorable dream eaters?”

“Whoaaaa!” Standing on his tippy-toes, Mikey tried to get a better look at the creature over the crowds, who had little to no concern over the home invading elephant. ...Well, half elephant, apparently. It’s head was elephant-like, while it’s pink body and pale purple mane reminded Mikey more of a lion.

“They’re one of the few Yokai creatures that are able to turn totally invisible without wasting any of their energy, so they mostly hang out on the surface and eat dreams there,” Michi continued to explain, “But if the pickings aren’t so great up there, they’ll sometimes hang out down here. Not a super common sight but still, way to look like a tourist.”

Mikey puffed up slightly at that. “Hey, just because I can appreciate seeing something this cool doesn’t make me a tourist.”

“Uh huh, and tell me, which city do you live in again, and which city are you just visiting- and therefore TOTALLY a tourist in?” Michika asked coolly, and giggled when Mikey stuck his tongue out at her in a pout.

“Hey, I’m only down here ‘cause somebody promised it would be fun,” Mikey retorted, “So make with the fun!”

“Fine, fine… Just try to keep up~” With that, the girl began to dash forward, her pigtails and water gun both bouncing as she ran.

“Heyyyy!” With a smirk of his own, Mikey began to run as well, once again determined not to let the bratty girl get away that easily! 

Despite avoiding any collisions with the locals, the two of them still got plenty of scowls and “Watch it, kid”s. New York was still New York, it seemed, whether it was below ground or above. But the two young teens could hardly care, having too much fun with their game of cat and mouse. Hopping over gates and trash cans, ducking in and out of alleyways, and even doing a bit of rooftop jumping. 

“Heh, guess you really can keep up!” Michika shouted back at him as she slid down a fire escape.

“Hmph, like I said-” Mikey jumped off the edge of the roof, doing a flip or two before landing perfectly, effectively beating her to the bottom. “I’m the real ninja deal!”

“Heh, okay okay,” the girl smiled as she reached the bottom of the ladder, “No one likes a showy waiter, Mikaboo.” She gave him a slight punch in the arm for good measure as she ran back out into the street and he followed after her, neither one of them losing their smiles.

As the crowds began to thin out somewhat, the two of them slowed down some, going from a thrilling chase to casual window shopping. Mikey would “oooh” and “ahhh!” at nearly everything he saw, whether it be a more traditional set of a yokai dress and armor, some glowing potions and crystals, cute little three headed puppies and phoenix hatchlings, or even just shiny stationary sets with mystic spelling-correcting ink. 

“Heh, I take it you don’t go shopping too often?” Michika asked.

“Nah, not down here,” Mikey said as he put his hands behind his head. The old stone that made up the worn paths of the Yokai shopping district began to turn into cobblestone as a bridge appeared up ahead. He didn’t mind though, the smooth stone felt much better on his slightly aching feet. “But my family and I sometimes throw on disguises and go shopping on the surface. Usually when what we want can’t just be found in a junkyard or bought online.”

“So, what, do you just like human things better?” Michi questioned, though she already knew the answer. As interested and amazed as Mikey was in the stuff that the Hidden City sold, there was no way he wouldn’t be interested in buying it. 

“Nah, we just didn’t know mystic stuff existed until about half a year ago,” Mikey answered casually.

Michi raised an eyebrow at him. “Seriously? But all the mystic paths and doorways up top are so obvious, not to mention all of us that hide in plain sight. How’d you not find them sooner?”

“Maybe they’re obvious to you, not so much to a bunch of kids who spend a lot of their time in the surface sewers. Plus, even if we did know about this place, our pop-“ Mikey hesitated, wanting to choose his words carefully. Not every person knew that Lou Jitsu was still alive, and he was sure Splinter wanted to keep it that way. “He uh, he has a few enemies down here, so he still probably would’ve kept us up top for as long as he could anyway.”

“Geez…” As someone who had spent most of her preteen years carelessly traveling between the two realms, Michika couldn’t even imagine having to choose to only live in one, let alone being completely in the dark about one. “Well, at least you know about it now. Perfect chance to make up for lost time.”

“Heh, yeah.” Mikey slowed down as they crossed over the stone bridge, taking a moment to look over the side. It was another street, albeit much smaller, with a few small bazaar-style shops and snack shacks set up near a shallow river. Said river was lime green, reminding Mikey of something he actually would see in the sewers, or of the green pop the characters from that one sci-fi cartoon Donnie liked drank. “So what about you?” Mikey asked as he folded his arms and leaned on the waist-high stone that lined the bridge.

Michika took the opposite approach, instead hopping up onto the barrier. “What do you want to know?” she asked, kicking her feet a bit.

“Weeeeell,” Mikey said, thinking it over for a moment, “Since I just told you a little about mine, what’s your family like?”

The turtle-like girl shrugged. “No idea, given they’re not exactly around anymore.”

Mikey blinked, a small pinch of guilt settling in his stomach. “...Oh, sorry, did they, um… pass away or-?”

“Heck if I know,” Michika answered, “I had them around for a few years, then I didn’t. Been on my own ever since.” She said this as if she were explaining how she found her straw hat. 

“Wait, so, are you a runaway or, or did they just leave you somewhere or-”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” She gave him a sharp poke in the forehead, making the orange turtle yelp slightly. “Nosy. Point is, I don’t have to deal with them anymore,” Michi continued, “I do what I want and go where I want, when I want, how I want. And trust me, life’s a lot more fun without anyone dragging you along or trying to keep you tethered.”

“Huh… I guess that does sound sort of nice…” Mikey hesitantly agreed before frowning, “But also kinda lonely.”

Michi rolled her eyes. “Oh come on, don’t give me that. I’m not ‘lonely’. I’ve got friends, people I hang out with when we run into each other or to crash with when things get rough - plus plenty of waiters to bug.” She tried to poke him again, but Mikey blocked the attack before she could. “Besides, you’re seriously telling me that you haven’t thought about just living on your own, Mr. Ninja-Who-Can-Handle-Anything?”

Mikey, admittedly, didn’t answer right away. He loved his brothers and sister and dad with all his heart, loved the home they had together and how they always had his shell, no matter what. ...But at the same time, part of his mind - the part that enjoyed the solitary walks to work and the time he spent by himself working on his various art and cooking projects - did sort of liked the idea of being on his own and traveling around and just living his own life, at least for a little while. 

...But that was just it. In the box turtle’s mind, it would only ever be a temporary thing, knowing deep in his soul that he’d never be able to stay away from home for too long, no matter how much fun he had away or how many new friends he met. After all, half the fun of making cool art and good food was getting to share it with the people you loved afterwards. 

“Maybe it would be sweet for a while, and if that’s how you wanna live then I’m glad you’re happy with it, I can totally see the appeal,” Mikey finally told her, “Buuut I don’t think I’m gonna be leaving home any time soon. Maybe someday, but… Probably not right now.” 

Though, speaking of home, a new thought crossed his mind. “Wait, so are you just living on the streets?!” Mikey asked, his face now a mix of concerned disbelief. 

“Wow, someone’s sheltered,” Michi retorted, turning her body a bit and folding her legs slightly, resting them on the stone, “I prefer the term ‘urban camping’. You should try it some time.”

“...Actually, when you put like that, I think I’ve already been there done that.” Even at only a few months old, Mikey could still vaguely remember traveling with his family, getting carried on his father’s back more often than not as they tried to find a permanent, safe home. Traveling had been an adventure at that age, always on the move and getting to see new parts of the city each day - even if said parts were often just dumps, alleys and abandoned buildings. “Fun while it lasted, but not something I really need to do again. Especially since we’ve got wayyyy more stuff we’d have to pack up now.” 

“Hmph, suit yourself, dude.” Glancing over the street and its neighboring stream, Michika suddenly spotted someone - _something_ \- coming towards them. She smirked. “Hey, you hungry?”

He hadn’t eaten since the small snack he had grabbed before his shift so- “Yeah, I could eat,” Mikey answered.

“Good.” With that, Michi hopped down and crouched. “Just get ready to run and grab, alright?” she told him as she unclipped her water gun from her belt loop. As she took aim, Mikey followed the gun’s angle down onto the street - right to a short, three eyed man with a fast food bag in his hand.

“Whoa whoa, wait, what?! _Michi!”_ He tried to grab her gun, and nearly got blasted in the face for it. “You canNOT just spray people and ruin their food just to get a free meal! That is SO messed up!”

“I can do what I want,” Michi retorted, trying to take aim again despite Mikey trying to block her shot with his arms, “They can afford another one if they really need it, and it’s not my fault people think food is ‘ruined’ just ‘cause it’s a little wet. Frankly, wet burgers and fries are a lot better than you’d think they would be!”

Mikey groaned. “That’s not the point, it’s still wrong!” By this point, their fight was loud enough for the innocent fast food customer to notice them. Holding his greasy paper bag closer to his chest, he picked up the pace and made it under the bridge before Michika could even fire. 

“Well great,” Michi huffed, putting her now target-less water gun down on her lap, “How do YOU suggest we get some food? Some ‘honest’ dumpster diving?”

“Actually,” Mikey said, meeting her gaze and being unintimidated by her annoyed glare, “I have an even better idea.”

()()(()()()()()()()()()()

Even after seeing so much of it already - shops, restaurants, a warring warrior scientist’s lab, and an absolutely _enormous_ library - Mikey knew that he would never stop being amazed by Yokai-style architecture and design. 

Unlike the warm colors found in Run of the Mill or the classy jade adornments found throughout the Grand Nexus Hotel, this particular little noodle shop was covered head to toe in various shades of blue. From the dark ocean-like tones of the floor to the walls that were the same shade of his older brother’s mask, to the baby blue crystals that decorated the light fixtures hanging from the dome ceiling. All of that mixed with the frosted windows and low lighting almost made Mikey feel like he was sitting in a giant sapphire. Of course, the simplistic yet amazing atmosphere was only half of the appeal.

Freshly made by her tentacled wife in the back, the owner of the shop - a shark-headed woman with nearly half a dozen artsy earrings hanging off her dorsal fin - happily set the two bowls of noodles in front of them. Warm and steaming for Mikey, ice cold for Michika. They were pretty big servings, but thankfully their price had been fair, only costing Mikey a handful of coins and (sadly) a couple unicorns from his tip stash. 

“You didn’t have to do this, you know,” Michi said, after a few yummy bites, “I could’ve found food on my own.”

“I know,” Mikey replied coolly as he clicked his chopsticks together a couple times, “But come on, I wasn’t just gonna stand there and watch you ruin people’s food just to have it for yourself. Besides, me paying’s not _that_ big of a deal-”

“I appreciate being the one to get your ‘kind deed of the day’, really I do, but I don’t need someone to pay for me. I don’t need to depend on anyone for my next meal.” Michi then took another long slurp of her noodles, smiling in satisfaction before continuing. “If I’m gonna waste my time trying to earn money, I want it to be doing something like doing shooting tricks on a street corner or being paid to prank people. You know, something that’s actually cool and fun and not actual work. But until then, I’m good with the system I have.”

The box turtle sighed. Having three older brothers with varying opinions and perspectives gave him a pretty good idea on how to tell when a conversation was about to start going in circles. Besides, while he wasn’t okay with some of the things she did, Mikey couldn’t exactly call himself a saint either. He knew there had been plenty of times where he had been in a mischievous enough mood to mess with someone (and usually dragged one of his siblings into it to help), as well as times where his family had needed to steal to survive, even if they never turned it into a game like Michi seemed to.

If that was how she was going to live her life, then Mikey couldn’t exactly stop her. So, he just silently agreed to disagree as he finally dug into his own bowl of noodles, the broth at _just_ the right temperature. Noodles and soup always made Mikey feel right at home for many reasons (some now a lot more clear to him). By the time he was finished with the bowl, his smile was just as warm and happy as his stomach. Whatever remnants of his rough shift were washed away and sent packing. “Now THAT hit the spot!” he declared, not even hesitating to drop several more coins and another unicorn (who he made sure to pet goodbye) onto the counter for a tip.

Michika shook her head a bit at the large amount he was leaving, but at the same time wasn’t at all surprised. The orange-wearing turtle might have been some wannabee waiter-ninja kid who threatened to fight her off the next time she tried to steal from his kitchen, but just in the few hours they had spent together, Michi could tell that he was also very much a sparkly-eyed softie that seemed to find amazement in even the most normal Yokai things. “Heh, yeah, I guess it was a little better than soggy burgers and fries. Just a little,” she told him, her tone a bit softer than before, “So… Thanks, I guess. Even if you are still a total goodie-goodie.”

“Heh, yeah, you’re wel- Wait, _say what?!_ ” Mikey pouted crossing his arms. “Oh, I am so NOT a ‘goodie goodie’.”

Michi snickered. “Dude, you totally are!”

“Am not!”

“Are too!”

“ _Weeeeell,_ would a goodie-goodie spend his free time doing technically illegal but still super fun and totally expressive street art?” Mikey shot back.

Michika opened her beak to reply, but stopped. “...Okay, I’ll admit, you sorta caught my attention with that one. Just what kind of art are we talking here, Orange Spice?”

Mikey grinned again, more than happy to show her. This time, _he_ took the lead as they exited the noodle shop, guiding them down the street as he looked for the perfect spot. Eventually, he found a pretty plain looking apartment building that seemed to be calling out to him for some much needed pizzazzing up. The street they were on was pretty much deserted too, so it seemed like the perfect chance.

Contorting his arm a bit, Mikey reached under his hoodie and into his shell. He felt one of his shoulder blades, his cell phone, his coin purse/tip bag, and finally- “Got it!” He pulled out a small can of orange spray paint, presenting it proudly like he would a precious treasure. 

“...So I take it orange is your favorite color?” Michika asked, her flat tone making it more into a statement than a question.

“Yep!” Not wanting to overthink it, Mikey popped off the cap, stuffing it into the pocket of his hoodie (“Why don’t you just keep your stuff in your hoodie?” “Trust me, the shell’s easier.”) and getting to work. With his supper (or was it breakfast? Time was weird in the Hidden City) still on his mind, Mikey decided to go with one of his more classic tags. 

His arms seemed to move on their own, never hesitating as they sprayed the stylized letters that made up **_“HOT SOUP”_ **. With a bit of an angle to the can here and a closer spray there, he was able to add some shading and contrast that really made the words pop despite it all being one color. He also added a few stars and designs for good measure, just going with whatever shape popped into his head. It was just a quick tag, nothing too special, though Mikey still made sure to focus on his work, still wanting it to be the best it could be. 

Once he was finished, Michi gave a low whistle. “Not bad,” she told him, “Think I can give it a shot?”

“Sure thing!” Mikey said, handing the can off, “Just keep it aimed at the wall.”

The turtle-like girl scoffed. “Okay I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a brat, but I’m not gonna make a person go blind for a laugh or anything like that,” she told him as she started trying to spray what either looked like a flower or a snowflake.

While he appreciated that Michi knew what pranking lines not to cross, Mikey still snickered at the brat comment. “You said it, not me.” Michi elbowed him in the stomach slightly and continued spray painting. The flower-snowflake was now starting to look more like a silhouette of a person, striking an admittedly pretty cool pose. She added the letters ‘K L’ above it before stepping back to admire her work.

“Looks good!” Mikey smiled, “But uh, what does KL stand for?”

“Well duh, it’s-”

“HEY!” The two thirteen years olds whipped their heads towards the top of the street, where an admittedly fairly intimidating, bulky lizard-like Hidden City police officer stood. The extra horns on his head almost made him look like a buff triceratops. 

Mikey gulped. _Busteddddd._ “Oh, uhh, hi? This uh, this isn’t what it looks like, really,” he said, flashing his most innocent and sheepish smile. The officer clearly wasn’t amused, narrowing his eyes back at him. 

“Oh shoot,” Michi mumbled, already putting a hand on her water gun as she tried to hide behind Mikey’s slightly taller figure, “Would’ve thought they already patrolled around here tonight…”

“Come on, you kids should know better,” the reptilian officer scolded as he walked towards them, “Graffiti is not permitted within the Hidden City under _any_ circumstances! So you two are gonna clean this garbage up, and then we’re-” He stopped, finally recognizing the face of the girl. “Hey… Hey you’re that dine and dasher from a couple weeks back! You-!”

Before he could say anything else, a gush of cold water sprayed straight into his mouth effectively cut the officer off. “Cool off, cop,” Michi quipped as she ran past him. Mikey didn’t hesitate to follow- getting arrested by the Hidden City police was the absolute LAST thing he needed. 

Unfortunately though not at all surprising, once he got the water out of his eyes, the officer started to chase after them and shouting for them to stop. “Sounds like you’ve got a bit of a reputation down here!” Mikey commented.

“Hey, I’m not the one who suggested doing illegal street art!” Michi shot back. Reaching the end of a block, she took a sharp turn down onto a street that had strings of fairy lights and flags hanging in-between it’s street lamp posts. “If we go a bit farther we can lose him for sure at-!”

“There they are!” The two teens skidded to a stop as two more officers appeared just a few feet ahead. Michi growled to herself. The beat cop actually remembered to call for back-up, making him one of the more competent ones that she had run into so far.

With a quick yelp, Mikey grabbed Michi’s wrist and dragged her towards the first dark place he saw - which so happened to be another alleyway with a fire escape. They climbed up as fast as they could, pulling it up once they reached the roof so the officers hopefully couldn’t follow. “Phew!” Mikey relaxed. They’d have to keep moving for a bit longer, but at least this would put some distance between them and-

“ _HALT_ , _STREET_ _PUNKS_!”

Between the sudden siren and the loud voice on the megaphone, Mikey nearly flinched into his shell. Michika however just groaned as she glared up at the floating head-shaped hot air balloon, it’s basket filled with two _more_ cops. “Seriously, they have their heads out too?! That’s overkill, even for the HCPD!” 

Despite her annoyance, she still noticed one of the cops above her pull out a capture orb as she and Mikey started running again. The rooftops were thankfully close enough for her to leap across them. If she could just keep going until she found a vent or an open window-!

Suddenly, she felt something _hard_ hit her in the back of the head, nearly making her tumble over. Michika was just agile enough to avoid the ball’s capture, getting out of its reach just in the nick of time, but it was still only a half victory. Michi felt streams of water running down her face, her energy already taking a dive. These cops knew just where to aim too... One more good hit and she was doomed to a juvenile detention center, or worse.

“Wha-BAM!” Blinking, Michi turned to see Mikey using some sort of… flaming yo-yo apparently, to knock away another capture ball. The cops cried out, nearly getting caught in their own trap and making Mikey chuckle. Of course, he knew that wouldn’t slow them down for long. “Good thing I always carry these babies around!” he grinned cheekily, pulling a small ball of his own seemingly out of nowhere as he continued to run.

“Wait, what’s-?” Mikey didn’t give Michi a chance to finish her question, instead just grabbing her wrist as he threw the bomb down, not wanting her to get caught up in the blast. He gave another holler as the thick smoke exploded over the rooftop, giving them plenty of cover. 

“Whoa, nice!”

“Thanks! So, you know this place better than me, anywhere close by where we can lay low?”

“Yeah! Just up ahead there’s a-!” Michi stopped, digging her feet in enough to stop Mikey as well, just as they reached the edge of the roof. “...Right, usually I go there on foot,” she mumbled, groaning again.

As promised, there was indeed another green and beautiful Hidden City park with plenty of natural cover just up ahead… But it was now a couple stories down and a whole street - a street filled with more small decorations and signs as well as a few stray pedestrians - away. 

But as Michi started looking for a way to climb down, Mikey just bounced excitedly on his feet as he aimed his kusari fundo. “Okay, you ready for this?” he asked. 

“Ready for what?!” Michi snapped, caught between listening to him and picking up on the coughing and sputtering cops that were slowly catching up.

Mikey didn’t answer. He instead flung the ball part of his weapon as hard as he could across the street, making sure to deactivate its flames as he did so. With perfect aim, the ball and string wrapped around a branch from one of the taller trees in the park. Not the strongest hanging spot, but close enough! 

Michi’s eyes widened slightly, finally understanding the plan. This was crazy… But still better than juvie! So she just hung on for dear life, and the two of them cheered together as they swung across. Thankfully, she managed to find her voice when she saw a big cluster of planted bushes coming up. “Fall now!” she shouted. Mikey didn’t bother to argue. 

With a flick of his wrist, the mystic ball and string loosened, returning towards its home as its owner and his companion went into a short freefall. The landing was a bit rough, but there were thankfully no thorns and their only injuries were likely to only be bruises and scrapes. They couldn’t exactly check though, and instead opted to stay down until the coast was clear. 

They heard the shouts of the cops, both on the ground and in the sky, but after a while the voices became more distant, and finally weren’t there at all. Both teens sighed in relief. “Heh, that was close, huh?” Mikey said casually as he poked his head out of the bush, shaking the leaves off as he did. 

“Yeah, no kidding,” Michi replied, doing the same, “One of the closer chases I’ve been in. Not that I really _need_ backup but… Thanks for your help, Mike.” Mikey beamed, both at the gratitude and at the fact that she was actually using his name. Noticing this, Michi smirked as she added, “Between the graffiti and fighting off the cops, I guess I can’t really call you a ‘goodie goodie’ anymore, buuut you’re still a huge dork.”

“I’ll just pay attention to the compliment part of that,” Mikey said simply, making the girl giggle. Though as he looked at her, he became a bit concerned. “You okay? ‘Cause, you’re sweating a lot. Like, there’s a TON of sweat on your face.”

Michi rolled her eyes. “Very funny,” she said, wiping the water off her face before taking off her straw hat. Mikey just barely held in his gasp. 

Her stringy black hair thinned out towards the top of her head, leading into a spot that wasn’t only bald, but _sunken in!_ Like someone from one of those old horror movies he hated watching just went in and removed part of her skull! Even weirder still, the indent on the top of her head was filled with water, though it only filled about a third of the ‘bowl’. But Michi quickly fixed that, raising her water gun and aiming right into her head. She sighed as she felt the cool liquid filling her back up, refreshing her and bringing her energy back tenfold. 

Though, now that she had nothing to worry about, she finally noticed Mikey gaping at her. “...Let me guess, this is the first time you’ve seen a kappa filling themselves back up, right?”

“First time seeing a kappa at _all,_ actually!” Mikey answered. Though, now that he knew that… this whole situation was normal, he regained his smile. “Heh, I thought you were just an ordinary talking turtle like me!”

“Nope!” Michi chuckled, “Us kappas are wayyyy cooler than regular turtles. No offense.”

“None taken, having a water bowl in your head is kinda cool! But, wait, so if you lose all that water, do you-?”

“Not right away. Mostly I just lose all my energy, and it makes it practically impossible to run. I can barely even walk when I’m running on empty. And if I don’t get more water within a day, it’s game over.”

“Geez…” No wonder Hueso wanted him to aim for her head the next time she tried stealing something from them. “Guess that’s another reason to carry around water with you, just in case.” Another epiphany crossed Mikey’s mind. “Ohhhh, so the KL you sprayed earlier, that stood for-”

“Kappa Life,” Michi nodded. 

“Niiiice,” Mikey grinned, “Though, I personally prefer ‘Turtle Power’ but hey, that’s just me.” Relaxed enough to do so, he began looking around the park they landed in, and quickly found his attention captured by something new. “Whoaaa hey, look at that cherry blossom tree! Are those petals _glowing?”_ He ran out of the bush before Michi could answer, wanting to see for himself. 

Michi shook her head, still smiling to herself. “Such a tourist…” But, she admitted to herself, not an annoying one…

They walked around the park for a bit, just looking at the different trees and plants and an old bronze jungle gym that Mikey did a few gymnastic routines on, before finally settling in. Mikey happily indulged in laying down on the cool grass while Michi, for obvious reasons, just leaned on one of the few giant bioluminescent mushrooms that also made their home in the park.

“...This place doesn’t have a sun,” Mikey stated suddenly as he stared up at the sky. In the time he had spent in the Hidden City, he had noticed the sky go from dark blue to dark orange, and then to a pinkish-yellow with a bit of green coming in from the north. There wasn’t any actual sun or moon or natural looking clouds, just patches of color that moved along at their own pace.

Michi gave him a bit of an exasperated look. “Really, you _just_ noticed that? You didn’t figure that out already considering this place, y’know, underground?”

Mikey scoffed, though he could still smile a little at his small blunder. “Shut up, I’m underground most of the time too. I guess I just take something like the sun for granted, that it’s always gonna be _there_ even if I can’t see it, you know?” The kappa-girl shrugged, understanding somewhat but not still not seeing it as too strange.

As he held back a yawn, Mikey’s gaze shifted from the sunless, colorful sky to the mountainous walls that framed the Hidden City. Most of it was just standard cliffside, but quite a bit of it looked like it had been carved by someone thousands of years ago. Some patches of rock and mountain looked like they had been made into something meant to be a dragon or a yokai beast, and other parts just looked like ominous faces. Again, Mikey found himself being creeped out and amazed at the same time, a combination he was quickly becoming used to yet still loved to feel. 

“...I wanna do that for my next big project,” he said, using his foot to point at the rock carvings. “...Well, okay, not that specifically ‘cause, you know, not a lot’a mountains in NYC. But maybe I can find a big chunk of rock or concrete or whatever and make it into a sweet statue!”

“Heh, good luck with that,” Michi told him. Although, the box turtle was strange enough that, if he did manage to make a decently cool statue, she wouldn’t be all that surprised. 

Mikey tried to think of what sort of design he could go with, whether he was inspired enough by the Hidden City’s carvings to go with a creature or if he instead wanted to make a human, but his yawns finally managed to break through. “Ugh, man… Speakin’ of which, I should probably be heading back up top.”

“Yeah… Do you remember how to get back to the entrance?” Mikey was silent for several seconds. Michi laughed. “Alright, I guess I’ll lead you back there.”

“Heh, no tricks?” Mikey asked, despite his expression being more grateful than suspicious.

“Nah, I kinda owe you for before so, no tricks,” Michi told him, “I’ll just make up for it later next time I hit Run of the Mill, sound good?”

“Hmph, you’re on!” Mikey smirked back at her.

The walk was long, and with Mikey’s mind still on his next possible project, the two of them ended up talking about art of all things. Michi wasn’t as well versed in the subject as the orange turtle, but she still managed to describe several famous pieces from yokai artists. As it turned out, yokai and human art styles and periods were fairly similar. “Definitely gotta hit up an art museum or something next time I’m down here,” he mumbled to himself.

Eventually, they made it back to the courtyard they started in. With a single touch, Mikey was able to open the portal back up, it not needing to hide from the citizens down there. “...This really was just what I needed tonight,” Mikey admitted, turning back towards his… Frenemy? ...Nah, friend with a touch of rivalry worked better, considering that she didn’t try to kill him like his other sort of ‘frenemy’ from the Foot. “So yeah, thanks Michi.”

“Yeah yeah,” Michika waved him off, “Just make sure that your boss stocks up plenty of cucumbers and that _you_ are ready to show me what you’ve really got, Mikaboo.”

“Hmph, I can definitely promise that second part!” Mikey retorted, smiling at her for just a moment longer before diving into the portal. 

The ride was a bit gentler this time, which was to be expected given that it was going up instead of down. Closing his eyes as he reached the exit, Mikey once again curled up and rolled into his landing. Exhausted but still cheerful, he gave a relieved sigh as he crouched in the warm sunlight.

...Wait, _sunlight?!_ His eyes shot open, and they confirmed what he felt. With a yelp, he scrambled back into what little shadow there was in the alleyway. If there was this much light, then the sun must’ve been pretty high in the sky. What time was it anyway?! Reaching into his shell, Mikey fished out his phone, and was confused when it didn’t automatically give him the time.

...It was then that he was hit with a dread-filling realization. Hueso had a ‘no cell phones’ rule at Run of the Mill, only allowing employees to keep theirs on if there was an ongoing family emergency happening. Mikey had turned his phone off as always, but between his bad mood and the impromptu trip to the Hidden City, he had completely forgotten to turn it back on.

“Oh no,” Mikey winced, head already going into his shell a bit as he turned the phone on. He was only allowed to see the time for a moment ( _11:17AM._ ...He usually came home at 3AM on his work nights. Oh yeah, he was SO dead) before his phone blew up with all the missed calls, texts and voicemails. Raph, Donnie, Leo, April, even Splinter - all of them had tried to get ahold of him, their messages varying from curious and confused to VERY worried. Mikey whined again, though resisted the urge to just go completely into his shell.

Knowing that answering even one text would lead to at least a dozen more, Mikey instead opted for just trying to get home as fast as possible. Even with the lack of shadows, the teenage ninja was still able to blend in fairly well, his hoodie making him look fairly normal while his quick steps and staying near walls whenever he could kept him out of most people’s eyesight. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he managed to make it to the normal-looking, abandoned construction site his family had set around a VERY familiar sewer entrance. Bracing himself, Mikey climbed down.

Thankfully, he didn’t hear any yelling or panicking, though as he climbed lower he did spy his brothers all hanging out in the center of their home, alternating between watching the other sewer entrances and their phones. Figuring this wasn’t exactly a ‘Surprise!’ situation, Mikey made himself known. “Um, hey guys,” he said, causing his brothers to look up immediately, “I’m home.”

“MIKEY!” As soon as the box turtle’s feet touched the concrete, he was surrounded. “Are you okay?!” “Where the shell were you?!” “What happened?! We tried calling you like a million times and-”

“I know, I know!” Mikey shouted, wincing again, “And I’m really really REALLY sorry, guys! I just kinda, you know, forgot to turn my phone on, and then I ended up hangin’ out with a new friend and I just… lost track of time.” He rubbed the back of his neck, smiling sheepishly. “Sorry… But I promise to call next time and, hey, I’m home now! So it’s all good, right?”

While the twins looked mildly annoyed and exasperated but mostly relieved, Raph’s concerned turned into a firm scowl. “No, Mike, it’s not ‘all good’,” he said, his tone as sharp as his spikes, “I don’t- Do you even get how worried we were?!”

Mikey frowned. “I-”

“When you didn’t get home right away, we thought that maybe you were just workin’ overtime or whatever. So we called up Hueso just to make sure, and not only did he tell us that you _weren’t_ still working, but you supposedly went home HOURS ago!” Raph pinched the area above his nostrils, trying his hardest to keep his anger down, but he hadn’t been _this_ angry in a while. Or this freaked out. 

And unfortunately, Mikey didn’t seem to notice. “Look, I’m really sorry I worried you guys, I didn’t mean to. But I mean… It wasn’t THAT big of a deal. I’m not even hurt!”

Both Donnie and Leo sucked in a breath, wincing as Raph put his hand down and looked at his youngest brother in disbelief. “Not that big of a-? This isn’t like you hangin’ out in the country with Todd or going out on a mission! We had no idea where you were or if you were okay!”

“But I was _fine,_ Raph! I-!”

“Do you even remember how many enemies we’ve got after us?! How many targets we’ve got on our shells?!” Draxum, the Foot, Big Mama, at least half a dozen others- Heck, Hueso even mentioned some dragon mobster that had shown up that night, someone that Mikey was apparently angry at. Leo had been insistent that even Mikey wouldn’t be impulsive enough to take on three dragons on his own, but they hadn’t been totally sure. “And we can’t exactly know when one of us is okay when that someone _doesn’t answer their damn phone!_ Pop even decided to go searchin’ for you when you weren’t back by sunrise, THAT’S how worried we were! _”_

“Speaking of which, probably should text him to let him know you’re home now,” Donnie mumbled, getting out his phone (and as such, trying to somewhat remove himself from the tense situation as much as possible). 

By this point, Mikey was starting to scowl back at his snapper brother. Raph might have been the oldest and (technically) their leader, but he wasn’t Splinter. He didn’t get to yell at Mikey like this. “It was just an accident!” Mikey defended, “It’s not like you guys haven’t messed up or made dumb mistakes before! An’ I told you before, _Raphael_ , I’m old enough AND responsible enough to take care of myself if I run into a fight, and you guys don’t HAVE to worry about me like I’m someone who doesn’t know what I’m doing!”

Raph scoffed. “Oh yeah, sure. Forgetting to call home, makin’ us think you were in trouble or hurt while you were out havin’ fun - all this REALLY proved how responsible you are. You _totally_ know what you’re doing!” ...Okay, maybe that was harsh, but Raph was angry and he felt like he had a right to make that clear.

Mikey’s face became hot, his eyes getting teary as he glared back at Raph. “I might’ve messed up, but YOU don’t have to be such a jerk about it!”

“Oh, I’M the jerk?!” Raph shot back.

“Okay, guys?” Leo spoke up, attempting to get in-between the two of them, “Maybe you two should just chill out a little and-”

“How many times do I have to say it?! I’m not some helpless kid brother!” Mikey screamed, “And I don’t need you protecting me! I’m just as much a ninja as you, and I’d wish you’d just get that through your thick head already!”

That ‘thick head’ comment broke through Raph’s defenses a little, making him wince (just like Mikey, guiltily, knew it would). Still, Raph held his scowl. “I’m not saying you’re helpless! But-”

“It sure feels like you are!”

“Stop putting words in my mouth! And quit makin’ me the bad guy, you’re the one who’s in the wrong here and don’t even care!”

“I already told you I’m sorry, you’re the one who’s making it into a big deal!”

“ _Okayyyy, just being totally ignored,_ ” Leo sighed, though it went unsurprisingly went unnoticed.

“One of my brothers was missing, Mike! That IS a big deal!” Raph shouted.

 _“I just forgot to call!”_ Mikey snapped, “And would you have worried as much if it was Leo or Donnie not getting home late, or is it just ME?”

Raph groaned in frustration. Is that what he was taking personally? “Newsflash, Mikey, you may not be a baby but you’re still just a kid!” Mikey flinched, instantly being reminded of what Hueso had told him the night before. Although, hearing it from one of the closest people in his life - someone who was supposed to encourage and believe in him - just made it sting even more.

“You keep sayin’ that you don’t want me to worry, but stuff like this DOES make me worry, whether you like it or not!” Raph continued, “And _you_ are still my little brother, and always will be so- So just deal with it!” 

Mikey’s unshed tears were threatening to spill over, but he didn’t dare let that affect his glare or his tone. “Well, maybe _you_ think I’m always gonna be that kid brother who’s always gonna need backup, but even if I did need to call someone for help, I sure wouldn’t call a huge jerk who can’t just _trust me_ and who will always see me as someone he has to save, even though I’m JUST AS GOOD AT FIGHTING AS HIM! SOMEONE LIKE _YOU!”_

With that, Mikey ran to his room. He grabbed his piece of what they had all dubbed ‘privacy plywood’ (with the exception of Donnie who still preferred using curtains as a ‘door’ of sorts) and slammed it against the round metal doorway as hard as he could.

Raph was stunned, the orange turtle’s words feeling like they were still echoing around the atrium. He felt someone put a hand on his arm, but shook it off as his own anger reignited. Fists clenched, he stomped into his own room.

He hated this… He absolutely _hated_ whenever he felt like this. When he was angry enough to beat up a whole army, but there was no one around that he actually wanted to fight. When he was angry enough for his scales to feel like they were on fire, for his fists to be so tight that it was a wonder his nails didn’t break through his wrappings. When all he wanted to do was just, just-!

Raph let out a loud scream, pouring all the frustration and anger and hurt he could into it, hoping for any sort of relief at all. 

Just a few rooms away, Mikey was doing the same thing, albeit much more muffled since he was screaming into his pillow. The screams eventually became sobs and sniffles, regret mixed with his own stubborn anger.

With seemingly no other option, Mikey squeezed his eyes shut, eventually forcing his tears and emotions down enough for him to fall asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Mikey knew he had to get up eventually. He had managed to stay in his room most of the day yesterday, calling in sick to get out of work and being sneaky enough to grab snacks from the kitchen without anyone spotting him. 

...A small part of him did sort of want to patch things up with Raph, but every time he thought about their fight, it just made him feel angry and hurt all over again. He loved having big brothers, but that didn’t mean he always needed them to be his protectors. Why couldn’t Raph understand that? He never underestimated Mikey when they were fighting together, but it was a completely different story whenever Mikey was on his own. Did he really think Mikey was that helpless without one of their siblings backing him up? The thought of it made the box turtle’s heart ache a little...

But as bad as he still felt, he knew he couldn’t skip two days in a row, volunteer worker or not. So, Mikey dragged himself out of bed and got ready to go. The world outside his room seemed quiet enough, everyone else probably in their own rooms or at the very least busy enough that they wouldn’t notice him leaving. With a deep breath, Mikey removed the piece of plywood and stepped out of his room. 

He managed to make it to the far edge of the atrium before a voice from the second floor called out to him. “Orange,” Mikey heard his father say from the kitchen, “Come here.”

Mikey cringed, forcing a smile even if Splinter couldn’t see him. “Uh, sorry Pop, I really have to go before I’m late so I’ll just, y’know, talk to you la-”

“Michelangelo.” 

Mikey froze, then sighed. He had managed to avoid his rat dad earlier when Splinter had returned home from searching for him, tucking into his shell and effectively cutting off any conversation before it could start. But he wouldn’t be able to get away with that twice. Whenever Splinter dropped a full name, they knew he wasn’t playing around. So, reluctantly, Mikey climbed up one of their ramps and walked into the kitchen.

Truth be told, he hadn’t been expecting Splinter to be cooking despite the room he was in, and his father must’ve noticed this. “While I will admit you are better than me at it, you are not the only one who cooks in this house, Orange,” Splinter stated as he continued to work the rice in his hands.

“Heh, yeah, I know,” Mikey said quietly as he walked up to the stove, “It’s just that you always seem like a ‘eat things already cooked and packaged’ kind of guy, Dad.” Hence all the snack cakes he liked to indulge in. 

“Fair enough,” Splinter shrugged, “Though sometimes, I still prefer something a little more, ah… homey.” He examined the triangle-shaped ball of rice in his hand, taking a moment to inspect and approve it before wrapping it in seaweed and setting it aside.

Without even thinking about it, Mikey moved over to the sink, wetting his hands a bit. He then grabbed some rice for himself, shaping it into a more star-like shape like he had done when he was little. He definitely agreed with his father, a simple yet VERY familiar dish like rice balls certainly felt like home. “Heh, remember how Dee would always try to make his with a spoon ‘cause he didn’t like the feeling of rice on his fingers? Or how we’d all try to see who could fit the most rice in our mouth?”

“It was a wonder none of you ever choked,” Splinter mumbled, ignoring the fact that he’d usually join them (and often win). The old rat chuckled just for a moment before straightening his expression. “While I am not opposed to going down Memory Lane, it is not why I called you up here.”

“...Yeah, I know,” his youngest sighed. But hey, it was worth a shot.

“So... I heard you and Red had a fight?”

Mikey scowled, squeezing his rice tightly. “Raph was the one being a jerk, I was just trying to defend myself. I wasn’t gonna just stand there and let him yell at me like that, Pop, and I am NOT apologizing. ...Not for the yelling. But, I am sorry for forgetting to call.”

Splinter hummed, completely focused on his rice. For a moment, Mikey thought that maybe he was free to go, but no sooner did he try to take a step- “You can be angry at Red for how he handled the situation if you wish, but know that we were _all_ worried when you did not come home, Orange.”

“But I was fine!” Mikey insisted, “I was-”

“But we did not know that,” Splinter argued, finally looking up from his rice ball, “And when we have many enemies and dangers after us, it can be very easy to think of the worst case scenarios.”

“But-!”

“No matter how unlikely they may be or how strong and capable the person we are worried about is,” Splinter said, raising his voice only slightly, annoyed at being interrupted. Although, as he continued, he softened it again, “I can assure you, Orange one, we all would have been just as concerned if it was anyone else. And I am sure you would have been too if you had been in our shoes, right?”

Mikey opened his mouth to try and continue defending himself, but couldn’t get any words to come out. After several seconds of trying, he just lowered his head. “...Yeah, probably… I’m sorry, Pop.”

Taking a moment to brush any stray sticky bits of rice off his hands, Splinter put a hand on his youngest’s shoulder. “You made a mistake. It happens, and now you know not to do it again.”

“Yeah,” Mikey nodded before scowling again, “But it doesn’t change the fact that Raph was a huge jerk about it…”

Splinter hummed again. “Red is very protective-”

“Yeah, so are the rest of you guys!” Mikey snapped, “But none of you treat me like a kid!” Sure, there were plenty of times where Donnie or Leo or April would try to protect him, pushing him into cover before them or trying to take a hit for him. But those things Mikey didn’t mind as much, he knew they were just looking out for him, and he would even try to do the same in return. But Raph- 

“He doesn’t trust me, Dad!” Mikey shouted, nearly throwing the handful of rice down, “He didn’t when I went to the auction house, and even after I proved him wrong he still doesn’t totally trust me! Not as long as I’m doin’ something by myself!” The box turtle’s cheeks were flushed now, angry and frustrated. “He thinks that if he’s not there, I’m gonna do something stupid that’ll get me killed or, or I won’t be strong enough to win a fight on my own!”

“And has he told you this?” Splinter coolly countered.

“I- Well, h-he doesn’t have to!” Mikey retorted, “I know that’s how he feels. It’s how he _acts!”_

Splinter nodded, understanding. “It is true... When it comes to our intentions, whether they are good or not, our actions that come from those intentions should be the only thing that matters, for they are the only things that can cause true effects. _However_ , our words - while not an excuse - can still provide context needed for understanding, and perhaps even a basis for future change.”

His youngest son stared at him for a long moment, which made Splinter scowl. “Do not give me that look like you are surprised, I can be wise when I want to be!”

Mikey chuckled. “Right. Sorry, Pop.”

“Hmph… So, are you going to talk to Red about, ah… this whole situation between you two? I may be able to guess how your brother feels, but I can’t speak for him.”

Mikey frowned again, but he didn’t answer. He just worked on finishing his rice ball, adding just a bit more to it to create the perfect points of the edible star. When he finished, he wrapped it in seaweed and set it on the plate with the others. “...I gotta get to work,” he said finally, taking just a couple seconds to clean off his hands before walking out of the kitchen. 

Splinter sighed. His sons really were just like him, stubbornness and all…

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Raph huffed as he threw another empty punch, only feeling a dull ache in his fist as it connected with his heavy bag. He had figured out many ways to calm his anger issues over the years - extra exercise and long runs, hours of quiet knitting and old soul music records, smashing the broken beakers and unfixable gadgets Donnie set aside in a box in his lab just for him. But as far as Raph could tell, none of those solutions were working this time.

It didn’t exactly help that his mind felt all jumbled up with intense emotions and words unsaid. He needed to talk to someone- _anyone_. Getting an idea, Raph abandoned his heavy bag and headed towards the garage. 

Walking past the Turtle Tank and the ‘Capture the Bandana’ set-up they had been too lazy to take down the previous time they all sparred together, Raph knocked on the small closet door before opening it up. As he expected, Raph felt his mood lift a little at the sight.

“Buuuuddyyyyy!” Buddy cheerfully greeted, dropping the paper craft he was working on. 

“Hey, Buddy,” Raph nodded, “Glad to see you too.” While they had each offered Buddy space in their rooms, the stitched-together paper ninja still preferred his closet, just as long as he wasn’t locked in it again and could come and go from it as he pleased. At the very least, the fairy lights hung in it and all the homemade paper decorations and plush pillows made it look a bit more cozy. 

Buddy lurched forward, pulling Raph into an affectionate (and thankfully, papercut-free) hug. Raph chuckled quietly, patting him on the back. “Thanks, Buddy… I uh- I-I definitely needed that...”

The paper ninja groaned, letting Raph go and giving her a curious look. “Red… Sad?” he asked.

“A little,” Raph admitted, “And kinda angry too… And kinda hurt…” 

Buddy groaned again, and stepped back. While his face stayed kind and concerned, his body shifted into a starting position. “Ehhh?” he asked.

“...Heh, yeah, okay.” Raph readied his fists, forcing himself to focus on defending Buddy’s first move. 

As always, Buddy didn’t hold back, throwing as much power as he could into his punches. Not that Raph minded - that was what made spars with Buddy so enjoyable! 

With a well-timed kick, Raph managed to knock Buddy off balance long enough for him to try and make a grab for the blue bandana that Buddy usually defended. Buddy however wasn’t going to let his sparring partner win that easily! With a noise that seemed like a mix between a groan and a giddy chuckle, Buddy picked himself up and raced after the snapper, nearly tackling him when he got close enough.

Though Raph was still faster and was able to dodge it. With the two of them so close now, they were able to throw hit after hit, now focusing more on each other than the bandanas. In-between punches or blocks, Raph would sometimes try a special move that he would had been working on or Buddy would use his mystic abilities to make his paper body harder or sharper. It kept each other on their toes, and it was just plain fun!

...But in the back of his mind, Raph knew that he would be having much more fun if he wasn’t still hung up on his last fight. Funny how words could hurt more than most of the punches he received on a weekly basis. 

The red turtle scowled as he thought back to it, only dodging and blocking now as an unaware Buddy continued to attack. “Why did he have to get so offended?” Raph mumbled, stepping back into another defensive stance, “What, does he not want me to care at all?”

 _“-but even if I did need to call someone for help, I sure wouldn’t call a huge jerk! SOMEONE LIKE YOU!”_ Mikey’s words echoed back at him.

Raph growled, his fists becoming tighter. “I’m not the jerk here, I’m just tryin’ to look out for you! Does- Does he really not want me to care about him at all?!”

Buddy gave a curious groan, but it was ignored as Raph went on the offensive. “I get he wants to do things by himself but- but I’m just looking out for you! That’s what big brothers do! I just-” He threw a couple more punches and kicks, gritting his sharp teeth. Buddy blocked, but looked confused and concerned as he did so. “I hate being left in the dark, and I’m not tryin’ to- I don’t think you’re- But you’re still-! GRAHHH, _I just want to make sure that you’re okay!”_

His right fist lit up with small red sparks, still connected to his mystic weapon despite his tonfas still sitting in their holders in his belt. However, Raph didn’t notice in time, and with a loud frustrated scream, he threw one last punch. The paper connecting Buddy’s arm to his shoulders ripped instantly, causing the now-limp paper limb to fall to the floor.

Raph’s eyes widened, his body frozen. Buddy looked at the fallen arm, and then to his sparring partner. The paper ninja couldn’t feel pain, but the orbs of light that made up his eyes still quivered with hurt and confusion as he stared at Raph.

“I… I’m sorry, Buddy,” Raph said quietly, lowering his head. 

He heard Buddy coo and felt a paper hand gently pat his head. “Buddy okayyyyy,” Buddy insisted.

“Yeah well, it still don’t make it right…” Carefully picking up the arm, Raph led Buddy over to their first aid station, where plenty of bandages and rolls of tape were kept. He was gentle as he reconnected his sparring partner’s limb, not wanting to cause any more damage than he already did. But as thankful as Buddy was, giggling and groaning as he slowly tested his arm, he still looked a bit confused when he glanced back at Raph. Why had his friend gotten so angry while playing a game they both loved?

Raph sighed. Figuring that he at least owed the paper ninja an explanation, he tried to explain the situation as best he could. “Mikey and I had a really bad fight the other night.”

“Orangeee?”

“Yeah, him,” Raph nodded, his hands now fidgeting with the tape roll in his hand, turning it over and picking at it as he tried to keep his words and emotions straight. “He did something that made me mad - but mostly it just made me worried. But when I tried to tell him this, he just blew up at me!” Though, after a moment, the snapper sighed. “But, I guess I was sorta harsh about it too. But I just wanted him to understand how worried we were. ...How worried _I_ was. And he just kept blowing me off!” 

He rubbed his eyes, sighing again. “I was just upset and- And, I guess I couldn’t stop myself... Then he started yelling and ran off to his room and… and now I don’t know _what_ to do.”

“...Well, luckily for you, Michael doesn’t usually hold a grudge for too long.”

Raph turned to look over his shoulder. Donnie was standing in the garage doorway, a toolbox in his hands. “Oh. U-Uh-”

“While I normally have no problems judging you guys, it would be a bit hypocritical to do it in this case,” Donnie told him, his gaze softening a bit, “Nothing wrong with venting to someone who’s willing to listen, whether they be a cheerful, formally evil paper ninja or a drone with a dudebro AI personality that refuses to be reset.”

Raph smiled, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Thanks, Don… Though I’m not sure how much venting actually helped.” All he really wanted to do was make up with Mikey, to have things go back to normal. Yet, at the same time, he didn’t want to admit he was in the wrong. Not when it felt like it was justified, and not when Mikey refused to even understand his side. 

Donnie stared at his older brother. He had been planning on spending a couple hours working on the Tank’s defenses and replacing a couple cracked screens, but… Giving a long sigh, the purple turtle set his toolbox down and took the open seat left in the first aid spot. “...So…?”

His older brother gave him a small look of gratitude as he tried to regather his thoughts and words. “I… I do feel bad for the things I said,” Raph started.

“Naturally,” Donnie nodded. Raph might have looked big and scary to strangers, but the guy was a total softie. Not even his occasion anger issues could change that.

“But… But I’m also still mad at him!” Raph continued with a slight huff, slouching tiredly on the small bench, “And I feel like I’m totally in the right to be! ...Right? You, you think I’m right, right Don-?”

“Nnnnnope,” Donnie said firmly, one of his metal hands popping out and pressing a finger to Raph’s mouth. “Nope, I am NOT taking sides, not doing it, no way.”

Raph growled. “I’m not askin’ you to take sides,” he grumbled, though he wasn’t at all surprised. Unless they were the ones trying to prove something or had a personal stake in the results, Donnie and Leo always seemed to stay neutral when it came to most arguments, wanting to avoid the ‘drama’ of it all. Little jerks…

“...However, I will say that I understand both sides of this conflict,” Donnie added, “Both yours AND Mikey’s.”

At that, Raph gave him an incredulous look. “Wait, what?! But Mikey-!” 

“I’m not saying that he’s in the right or that you getting upset at him wasn’t uncalled for. I was worried about him too, remember?” Just like Raph, Donnie hated being left in the dark and not knowing what was going on, almost as much as he hated being unprepared. 

And honestly, Mikey temporarily going missing was enough to push his old ‘tracking devices for everyone’ idea to the front of his mind, despite how unlikely it was to get anyone else in the family on board with it. “Buuuut, at the same time,” Donnie continued, “I can understand why he was upset too.”

Raph huffed, still scowling slightly. “Because I was being ‘overprotective’ again, right?”

“Actually, this time you were being a bit more condescending than overprotective - or at least, that’s how it could have been interpreted,” Donnie shrugged, “But hey, I was just a bystander in the fight so I could be wrong, but judging by Mikey’s strong reaction…”

“...What do you mean by condescending?” Raph asked after a moment, more confused than offended, “All I did was tell him how worried we all had been and that I was gonna worry about him no matter so he just needed to stop taking it so personally!”

Donnie hummed, his eyes a bit distant. “Easier said than done, believe me…”

Now Raph was even more confused. Donnie was technically the second oldest, being only a couple hours older than his twin in blue, so how would he know how Mikey felt? 

Donnie rolled his eyes slightly. Though, as much as his brothers’ occasional moments of obliviousness annoyed him, this time he couldn’t really be too mad. With how long it had been, he was sure he was the only one who clearly remembered the years before it. “Remember before I had this?” the softshell asked, gesturing to his battle shell cover. 

“Well, I remember how much you hated wearing sponges and pillows on your back,” Raph replied. It had been one of the main reasons why Splinter had allowed him to begin work on his battle shell prototype at such a young age, though only under the condition that Donnie was careful and that he waited until he was older to add features such as a jet pack or ‘extend-o-hands’. 

“Hmph, yeah,” Donnie scoffed, “Hated is an understatement. ...But what was even more frustrating was how protective you guys could be, even if I wasn’t doing anything dangerous. I wasn’t even allowed to trip over something without you and Leo checking me over. Heck, even Dad had his moments-” Usually whenever Donnie managed to be sneaky enough to abandon his shell protection for a couple hours without his rat dad noticing. 

Now that he was thinking about it, Raph could remember those days. “We were just lookin’ out for you, Donnie.”

“Heartfelt intentions acknowledged, doesn’t make them any less frustrating,” Donnie stated, “and the worst was whenever I actually _did_ get hurt, and you guys would go from treating me like normal to acting like I was made of glass, even if you all had the same scrapes and bruises. It got to the point where it felt like you guys didn’t just see my shell as weak, but _all_ of me...”

“...Well, when you put it that way…” The snapper’s frown deepened as he started to understand a little. 

“And the thing is, even after I started wearing my battle shell, you guys would _still_ act like that,” Donnie continued, “No matter how many times I proved that my new armor was worthy protection. It took MONTHS for you guys to start treating me normally all the time, and not hover whenever I hurt myself or try to go easy on me in a spar. Old habits die hard, I suppose.” 

But despite this, Donnie then smiled a little, both in old relief and in everlasting pride. “Thankfully, that’s no longer the case - and good thing too. Now, you guys barely even notice my armor. Now it’s just a small part of me - something I’m able to both accept and adapt along with rather than something that’s holding me back or someone’s sole idea about me. You get what I mean?”

“...Yeah, I think I do,” Raph nodded after a moment of extra thought, “Guess I can’t really blame Mikey for taking it personally if I really was making him feel that bad for bein’ the youngest, even if I wasn’t tryin’ to make him feel that way. ...Is that what you meant by me being condescending?”

“Well, that, and the fact that you kiiiinda treated the whole forgetting-to-call thing as a ‘Gotcha!’ moment, like you were just waiting for him to do something to justify you being overprotective, rather than just treating it as something that made you upset.”

“...” Raph was silent for several seconds before giving a loud groan and putting his head into his hands. “Aw man, I did totally do that…” Buddy cooed again, putting his head on Raph’s shoulder and patting his arm to try and comfort his friend. 

Raph sighed, managing a small smile for his buddy’s sake, but still feeling pretty awful. “Mikey was right, I was being a jerk… But, it’s not like I don’t trust him at all! I just- I’ve always looked out for him and-”

“And old habits die hard,” Donnie simply repeated.

“Yeah, no kidding… But, that’s still no excuse.” After gently nudging Buddy off him, Raph then stood up. “I’m gonna go apologize-”

“A good decision, though one you’ll have to make later,” Donnie told him before he could even try to leave the garage, “Mikey’s already at work.”

“...Right,” Raph slumped, holding back another sigh. Well, at least now he had some time to work on his apology... 

Seeing his sparring partner back on his feet, the former Foot soldier quickly stood up as well, giving a couple excited and insistent grunts before shifting back into a fighting position, not bothered by his injury at all.

Raph chuckled. “Yeah, okay Buddy, we can go a couple more rounds if you really want to. I kinda owe you one anyway, after how the last one ended...” After a moment, he turned to his brother. “Hey Donnie, wanna make it a 2v1 fight?”

Donnie considered it. He really did want to get those repairs done… Though, knowing how rambunctious Raph and Buddy could get with their games, he doubted he’d be able to get much work done even if he did decline. And besides- “I guess there is a new battle mode that I just recently installed into my spider shell that I wanted to test,” Donnie smirked, his extra arms popping out once more. 

Buddy clapped at his purple bandana-wearing teammate’s new limbs while Raph just grinned, cracking his knuckles and more than ready to finally relax some. A good fight always cleared his head, and with how much he needed to have the right words for later when Mikey came home, Raph really hoped that would be the case this time too.

“Alright then... Let’s rumble, boys!”

()()()()()()()()()()()()() 

Dough, sauce, cheese, toppings, oven.

Dough, sauce, cheese, toppings, oven.

Dough, sauce, cheese, toppings, ov- no, wait, this one wanted extra garlic. 

‘They also wanted a slug slime drizzle,’ Mikey reminded himself as he sprinkled on the garlic bits. He would have to make sure to add it as soon as it came out of the oven, knowing very well by now that the slime soaked into the crust better when the pizza was burning hot, and when it wasn’t the slime just became sticky and oily. “Two normal, one slimy. Two normal, one slimy…” With no other pizzas left to make, he then went back to prepping dough. 

“...Everything alright, Mikey?” Banji asked, looking over his shoulder from the soup and salad station, his hair net-wrapped tails swishing curiously, “You seem to be lacking your…”

“Razz-ma-tazz?” Mikey guessed. He always did have a tendency to be showy with his cooking along with being skilled and accurate, though thankfully Victor hadn’t seemed bothered by his more flamboyant working style. 

The two-tailed cat chuckled. “I was going to say your ‘spark’ but, razz-ma-tazz works too. Anyway, is everything alright?”

“Eh, I guess,” Mikey shrugged, “Just… stuff.”

“Stuff, huh?” Banji repeated, not too satisfied with that answer. However, before he could ask any more questions, the voice of their head chef rose above the rest of the chatter in the kitchen.

“Michelangelo,” Victor buzzed, yellow fuzz furrowing over his eyes, “This bread you seasoned during prep is on the brink of being too salty! Thankfully it is still edible and passable, but do not lose focus!”

Mikey winced before putting on a determined face. “Yes, Chef!” he called back. The box turtle then slapped both his cheeks a couple times. “Come on, Magic Mike! Focus!”

“...You do realize that now you have to wash your hands again, right?” Banji commented. He had to hold back a chuckle at the bits of cheese and flour now on Mikey’s cheeks. 

Mikey gave a sheepish grin. “Right, my bad…” He rushed over to the sink, wanting to get his hands washed and dried as quickly as possible.

Banji purred sympathetically at him. “Whatever this ‘stuff’ is, it must be pretty distracting.”

“Ugh, yeah,” Mikey grumbled. He ripped several sheets off the paper towel roll, wanting his hands to be thoroughly dried before he touched more dough, lest a customer get a soapy-tasting pizza. He stuck his tongue out at just the thought of it. 

Though, as he went back to work, Mikey quickly noticed Banji glancing back at him every few seconds, the feline chef not having much else to occupy his attention with his section being slow. “...Sooo, you got any siblings?” Mikey slowly asked. 

“I had a couple littermates, yes,” Banji nodded, “Although I haven’t talked to any of them in years. Not because I don’t want to but, well, with everyone in different places and everyone so busy, it can be hard to just make a phone call!” As he thought more about it, his ears folded down slightly. “Although, last time I spoke with one of my sisters, we didn’t exactly leave on a good note, and I’m still a bit ticked off at her if I’m being honest. Not too surprising though, we tended to get on each other’s bad sides more and more as we grew up. She’s always been a stubborn one, and I can admit to being a bit proud-”

“Heh, ‘a bit’?” one of the chefs on desserts spoke up, “You sure it’s just ‘a bit’, Banj?”

“Oh, shut it,” Banji retorted before turning back to Mikey, “So yes, getting right to the point, I do have siblings. Why?”

Mikey didn’t answer, his face totally flat.

“Oooh… Not the answer you wanted to hear?”

Mikey just groaned, nearly facepalming but stopping himself just in time. “Nevermind, I don’t wanna talk about it.” One of his timers went off, and Mikey went to work slicing the small goat cheese and yokai-spiced pizza, putting a bit more pressure into his cutter than was probably necessary. 

Thankfully, Banji was able to take the hint and changed the subject. “Alright… You only have one pot you can use. What’s the perfect dish that you make?”

Mikey thought about it as he rolled out another ball of dough. “Hmm… One pot, huh? Gotta go with some kind of pasta.” He grinned. “With plenty of sauce and cheese, and bits of meat and plenty of spice that would all together for one pot of aMAZINGness!”

“Good choice,” Banji nodded, “Though, I for one would go for even more of a classic: A clam chowder!”

“Heh, look at you, bein’ a foodie!”

“What can I say? I enjoy my seafood, and you certainly can’t go wrong with a soup filled with little gems of the sea and plenty of flavor!”

“Well, my pop would definitely agree with you on the ‘can’t go wrong with soup’ part,” Mikey laughed.

As the orders continued to slow down and the other chefs ran out of things to do, they began chiming in with their own answers. One of the side dish chefs insisted that with one pot, a curry was definitely the way to go. Another chef, who was doing what few dishes they had, countered with using a pot to cook a single piece of meat and then adding various veggies and flavor enhancers into it to make the meat even more flavorful while still being the star of the dish. 

And one of the dessert chefs, well, she just went with one of her favorites. “Stroganoff. Maybe not the prettiest dish, but a bowl full of comfort guaranteed!”

“Ooooh, good one!” Mikey smiled, “Though I’ve actually never made one of those before. Hey, I’ll swap you my duck a l’orange pizza recipe for your stroganoff recipe!” 

The frog yokai nodded. “It’s a deal, kid!”

“Did you say ‘duck a l’orange pizza’?” Banji repeated with a raised eyebrow, not sure whether to be impressed or just confused, “Hmph, now who’s being a foodie.”

“Don’t be mad just ‘cause you didn’t think of it first,” Mikey countered, earning a few “ooooh”s and cheers from his co-workers. 

Banji laughed. “You lookin’ to start a cook-off, Michael?” he asked, crossing his arms

“I’m just sayin’!” Mikey smirked, “Though if you think that sounds out of this world, you should see my pizza-meatloaf!” 

“You’ve got more vision than the average thirteen old, I can tell you that.”

“Aww, thanks!”

With the subject now being personally created recipes, the conversation around the pizzeria kitchen began to get a lot more passionate - though unfortunately, it didn’t last as long as they all would’ve wanted it to. 

“Alright, everyone,” Victor said, getting everyone’s attention once more, “According to Senor Hueso, we don’t have any big parties coming in, and it looks like the rest of the night will be slow. Michael, Salma, Campbell- You may all head home for the evening. The rest of you, do not be idle just because you have nothing to cook or prep! Clean what you can and stay busy.”

A chorus of “Yes, Chef,” echoed through the kitchen. The other two yokai Victor named - an elephant woman and a púca - prepared to leave, but Mikey could only stand and stare at the kitchen clock, a mix of disbelief and frustration on his face. _10:21PM._ Time might have had a tendency to pass quickly when people were having fun, but as he stared at the evidence himself, Mikey concluded that time passed even faster when you trying to avoid going home. 

Banji gave him a sympathetic smile, promising him another rousing debate the next time they shared a shift, and as reluctant as he was to leave, Mikey still happily agreed as he waved goodbye. Admittedly, he had arrived early to help with prep, so it wasn’t like he hadn’t gotten much of a chance to cook or work during that shift. But even so it still felt like it was too soon to go home - for many reasons.... 

Changed back into his hoodie and officially off the clock, Mikey only waited a moment after stepping through the mystic entrance before fishing out his phone. No need to scroll through his already-short list of contacts, given that her name was right at the top. He typed and sent his text, only shivering a little as he waited for a response:

_“Hey A, u up for a visit or r u catchin z’s??”_

After a few seconds, Mikey got the answer he was hoping for. **_“You’re good, hun. come on over!”_ **

_“THANKS SIS, srsly, thank u~!!”_ Now that he had an excuse, Mikey switched contacts, picking the brother he knew would be the easiest to convince. _“Hey, Leon? April invited me over to hang out after work. think u could let everyone else kno? Maybe make sure they’re cool with it, pls??”_ He considered adding a couple sad-face emojis, but then decided that it would be too much and just sent the text as it was.

The wait for his blue brother’s reply was about the same length as his wait for April’s reply had been, but it certainly felt longer, the ellipsis bubble on his screen practically taunting him. But, after an eternity, Leo gave him the good news.

**_“Yeah bro, go for it. figured u’d want some space anyway. Just make sure you’re home before dawn, k dude?”_ **

_“Got it! THANKS LEO I’LL BE HOME LATER LOVE YOU!!!”_ Too happy and relieved to care, Mikey added several orange hearts and hugging emojis for good measure before sending it. With that taken care of (and that mistake NOT repeated), he then took to the rooftops, knowing the way to his best friend/surrogate sister’s apartment just as well as he knew the way to his own home. 

As always, the window to the 5th floor hallway had been left unlocked, allowing Mikey to slip in with ease. With that, he walked down to April’s apartment and knocked on the door. “Hey, Mike!” April greeted, letting him pull her into a hug.

“Hey April! Thanks again for lettin’ me come over!” As happy as he was though, Mikey did frown a bit when he noticed April’s bonnet. “I’m not keepin’ you up, am I?”

“Nah,” April reassured him, “You’re fine, I’m just chillin’. Mom’s working a night shift, Dad’s on a business trip and I don’t have school tomorrow ‘cause of some in-service thing. So, I’m good with staying up.” 

Suddenly, her phone on the coffee table buzzed. Squirming out of Mikey’s now-loose grip, April quickly picked it up. Mikey noticed how her eyes lit up slightly, her smile growing even bigger as her cheeks became tinted with just a bit of pink. 

“Looks like Sunita’s still up too,” Mikey chuckled as the two of them took a seat on April’s couch, “You two bein’ cute? Sendin’ texts and trying to make each other smile?”

“Maybe,” April replied, her good mood being enough to trounce her embarrassment. Another text showed up on her phone, and Mikey started making kissy faces at her - only to get a pillow to the face in retaliation. From his perch on April’s schoolbag, Mayhem glanced up at the two laughing teens, annoyed but not enough to get up from his makeshift bed. With a yawn, Mayhem settled back down and went back to sleep, purring cutely as he did so. 

Seeing Mikey eyeing the tv remote, April slid it over to him. She was just using the tv for background noise anyway. Mikey thanked her and started flipping through channels. He swapped between a basketball game and some interior decorating show a few times before deciding on a third option: a rerun of Cutthroat Kitchen. Definitely in his top ten of cooking shows, plus it was technically a game show, which meant he could usually get Splinter to let him watch it without him complaining. (Given that the old rat liked shows like Scorpion Treadmill, it didn’t surprise Mikey that his father would usually get into the show too, laughing right along with his youngest at the poor chefs.)

Waiting on another reply and not having anything new to see on her social media feeds, April glanced up just in time to see one chef trying to mix and cook in a potato skin while three others tried to share a potato sack, much to the amusement of their host. “...You know, between this guy and Meatsweats, I’m startin’ to get concerned about your taste in chef idols.”

“To be fair, Alton Brown probably wouldn’t become a cannibal,” Mikey argued, “The guy’s just super smart and talented - pretty much the Donnie of food with how much he knows and all the skills he’s got. He also just likes to mess with people, and you can’t deny that some of these challenges are pretty fun to watch, even if it would stink to do them yourself.” After a beat of silence, he added, “Besides, just ‘cause I respect Rupert Swaggart’s skills with spice and mystic ingredients doesn’t mean I respect him for bein’ a huge jerk. ...Even if it’s still entertaining and kiiiinda fun to watch on tv.”

April shrugged. “Fair enough, I guess.” With her idol being an egotistical former news anchor turned worm man, she didn’t exactly have room to talk. “So hey, why’d you want to come over tonight anyway?”

“Oh, I finished my shift early and didn’t wanna go home,” Mikey said casually, his eyes firmly glued to the kitchen chaos on screen, “Plus, I like hangin’ out with my sis! Isn’t that reason enough?”

April’s smile softened a bit. “It is… Though the ‘didn’t want to go home’ part is a little concerning.” When Mikey didn’t continued, she prodded him. “I was one of the people who was trying to get ahold of you, remember? ...And Dee told me what happened afterwards too.”

Mikey groaned, slouching in his seat. “I’m really REALLY sorry for worrying everyone but, can we not talk about this, please?”

“...Alright,” April sighed. She wasn’t happy about it, but she also figured he had gotten enough of the 3rd degree from home. So she let it go, for now. The two of them continued to watch the cooking show in silence, with April’s phone still occasionally going off. By the time the two remaining chefs reached the third round, Sunita admitted that she was feeling pretty tired and the two girlfriends exchanged goodnights and ‘love you’s. 

With her phone silent for the night and April’s full attention now able to be on Mikey, she decided to break the ice. “So hey,” she began, “You mentioned work, why don’t you tell me a little about that? I haven’t heard much-” She hadn’t been able to visit the lair more than a couple days a week thanks to school and her own jobs, and when she did visit the five of them were often too wrapped up in having fun and various shenanigans for small talk. “Plus, I’m sure you have way better work stories than me.”

Smile returning, Mikey sat up. “Well, for starters, it’s pretty great. Yeah, I’m mostly just cookin’ the same stuff each night - and that’s when I’m not on dish duty or out on the floor serving - but I’m still learning a TON! My co-workers are always givin’ me tips and extra lessons, plus they’re just super cool! I’ve made a lot of friends with the customers that come in too, and Hueso and Victor and Fen - oh, they’re sorta like my co-bosses - are really nice too! And I get to work with food and meet new people every night, and I always go home smelling like garlic and marinara sauce, which is the BEST way to smell-”

Too excited and happy to stop now, Mikey continued to ramble on, switching from topic to topic whenever he felt the need to do so. The lessons Roger and Banji gave him and how they’d hang out before or after shifts, the praise he would get from his tables, the quick conversations he would have with his favorite customers, all the things he had improved on after just a month or so at Run of the Mill, and really… just all the feelings he was feeling. Happiness and pride and excitement that still hadn’t totally died down. 

“I just, you know… really like working there,” he finally concluded, settling down some, “It's really fun.”

April chuckled. “It sure sounds like it, but I’m glad you’re havin’ such a great time, Mikey, I really am.” Goodness knows she was still looking for a great job, even just one that was decent and not boring or frustrating. Unfortunately, her interests were in journalism and action-filled adventures with her brothers, and various retail or fast food jobs just weren’t going to cut it. Still, she accepted this enough to not be bitter, and just hoped that her options would be better after college.

“Heh, yeah…” Mikey leaned back on the soft couch cushions behind his shell and pulled his legs up, curling them to the side. “I can’t wait till I’m old enough to work there full time.”

“Really?” April asked, giving him a bit of a curious look.

“Yeah! I love working there, so why wouldn’t I want to work there as much as I could?” Mikey said, “and then I could still work on my art pieces and my ninja skills either after work or on my days off. Just picture it - Michelangelo Jitsu, master chef, awesome street artist and part-time kick-butt ninja supreme!”

“...Only part-time, huh?” April repeated, still a bit surprised but also not really.

The box turtle froze slightly, knowing that he had just given away a bit too much. “...W-Well yeah, I mean… We’re gonna defeat Draxum and the foot face jerks eventually, and with them out of the picture, there wouldn’t be as many bad guys to fight and…” He trailed off, squirming a bit now. 

April placed a warm and gentle hand on Mikey’s arm, calming him down again. “I think it’s great that you’ve got goals like that, Mikey,” she told him, “It’s pretty impressive, and admirable. And if that’s what you wanna do when… this whole situation-” she gestured to the window, the two of them knowing fully well who and what was lying in wait- “is over, then I’m gonna support you, okay?”

Mikey looked at her before nodding, smiling a little. It was nice to know that when it came to this specific thing, he had one person’s support at the very least. “Thanks, April.”

“No problem, dude. ...But, while I’m definitely gonna support you, can I still offer a bit of advice?” 

Mikey tilted his head at her, but he didn’t verbally deny the request, so April continued. “You’re allowed to have passion, and you’re certainly allowed to enjoy your job - if you’re lucky enough to find something you like doin’, then you SHOULD enjoy it! But you still gotta be careful and not get TOO focused on it, you know?”

“Careful?” Mikey asked, clearly not getting it. 

“I’m just saying, while there’s nothin’ wrong with being career oriented, it shouldn’t be the ONLY thing you’ve got goin’ on, you know?” April tried to explain, “I mean… Even the best jobs in the world are still gonna have bad days. Or, bad nights, in your case.”

Bad nights… ‘Like the night that started our fight,’ Mikey thought to himself, remembering how frustrating working had been, how he wasn’t allowed to do anything to try and help Hueso or get Bruce to back off. 

“And when you’ve got nights like that, you’re gonna need stuff to pick you back up and get your mind unstressed - stuff that’s not just more work, even if it’s something you enjoy like art and ninja training. I guess what I’m saying is, don’t be afraid to step away from work for a while.”

“Heh, I’m not afraid,” Mikey told her quietly, “I’m just…” April stared at him, and Mikey forced a smile. “Just- really getting into it! That’s all! ...But, I guess I get what you mean. And, as much as I love making art and cooking and doing my own thing, hanging out with my bros is pretty great too.”

“And no one says you can’t have a career AND a family,” April added, her smile comforting and understanding, “Like I said, I get being passionate about something, it’s definitely not a bad thing! But sometimes it’s still good to take a step back, even from something you love, you know?”

“Yeah, I hear ya,” Mikey nodded. As upset as he still sort of was at him, he remembered how Raph had asked him to hang out before his shift, and in return Mikey had sort of blown him off. ...Actually, now that he was thinking about it, Mikey realized that outside of joining in on team missions, he hadn’t really hung out with his family since getting his new job. “...Maybe I do need to take a step back,” he mumbled. 

April started to say something else, but ended up yawning. “Geez, where’d that come from?”

Mikey laughed. “Guess we should call it a night, huh? I think I’m ready to go home now anyway.” Despite the fatigue in her eyes, April still smiled at that. Mikey gave her another hug, gave a still half-asleep Mayhem a few scratches behind the ears, and then went back into the night.

It was nearly 1AM by the time he arrived at the lair, though his home was near silent. “Guess everyone else was tired too,” Mikey mumbled to himself. The jog through the dry autumn air that surrounded the city’s rooftops made his throat dry, so he decided to grab a drink of water before hitting the hammock himself. He climbed up to the second floor, turned to head towards the kitchen - and nearly ran into a figure that was much MUCH bigger than his father coming out of the tv room, causing both him and the figure to let out a quick shriek of surprise.

“Mikey! There you are!” Raph said loudly, “Er, n-not that I was worried or anything. I was just, y’know, watchin’ some tv. They uh, they’re airing Jupiter Jim and the Space Pumpkins since it’s getting close to Halloween and all.”

“Oh! Heh, yeah, that one would be worth staying up for,” Mikey nodded. It might not have been part of the official Jupiter Jim canon, but it was still a pretty good flick.

“Yeah… So, uh-” Raph rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes darting to the floor for a moment before meeting Mikey’s. “I’m sorry for bein’ a jerk the other night. You- I was upset but, but that didn’t give me the right to treat you like that. So… I’m sorry.”

Mikey looked at his big brother just long enough for Raph to feel nervous before giving him a smile. “Thanks Raph… And, like I said, I’m sorry too. I’ll remember to call next time, promise.”

Raph smiled back. Mikey had already kept that promise by telling Leo where he would be that night, so he had no problem believing him. “Thanks, Mikey.”

“Yep! Sooo, are they airing another JJ flick tonight, cause I’m-”

“Uh, actually,” Raph interrupted, “I didn’t just want to apologize. I just think that- that we should discuss our personal issues through calm communication, in the hopes of reaching mutual understanding.”

Mikey winced. After thirteen years, he knew his brothers VERY well, and he definitely knew Raph’s ‘reading from a script so he didn’t fumble over his words’ tone. He also knew that from the way Raph was sort of fidgeting with his fingers that he wanted to talk about something he was nervous about, something he wasn’t totally comfortable with and-

 _Nope. Nopenopenope._ Mikey was all for hanging out with his bros, talking about his feelings, and could even handle arguing with them. But that didn’t mean he was ready for another fight so soon, especially not after they _just_ made up! So, when Raph tried to start, Mikey just slid past him, pushing out a yawn.

“Aaaactually, Big Guy, I’m feeling pretty exhausted,” he told his red brother, rubbing his eye, “But, hey, maybe we can all hang out tomorrow or something?”

“Uh, sure,” Raph blinked, “But-”

“Cool! Okay, goodnight, bro!” With that, Mikey jumped back down and headed back into his room. His throat was still a bit dry, but he would deal with that in the morning.

Raph stared at the space Mikey had stood for several seconds before sighing and heading downstairs himself. So, maybe they didn’t technically talk about all the things brought up during their shouting match but- but they apologized to each other! Mikey forgave him, and he forgave Mikey. 

They weren’t mad at each other. Things were fine now. They were good… Right?


	7. Chapter 7

“I’m just saying, if I could combine a unicorn with a laser-sword wielding rogue from space, why would I NOT make that my costume?!”

“Because, Leon, the idea is to blend in with the crowds, not stand out even more! Also, it’s pretty garish, even for the costume ideas that you and Mikey usually come up with.”

“Uhh, this coming from the guy who dressed in tights and a fancy wig last year?”

“A) I was going as Galileo, I had to look like I stepped out of the 15th century which, unfortunately, wasn’t the most fashionable time period and B) Raph, please, I am BEGGING you not to encourage him.”

“I mean, _I_ think it’d be a pretty rad costume, so it’s kinda three against one here, Dee. Oh, also-” Lunging forward, Mikey yanked the basketball out of Donnie’s hands. Even as he rolled towards the opposite side of their court/halfpipe, he threw the ball as high and hard as he could towards the hoop. It bounced a couple times on the rim, and just when it looked like was going to fall, the ball instead shifted and rolled right back into the net.

“BOOM!” Raph fistpumped, grinning widely, “That’s how we roll!”

“Yeah-yuh!” Mikey added, fistpumping as well while Donnie just sighed, annoyed at himself for getting distracted.

“I still say I’m right,” the softshell insisted as he grabbed the ball, bouncing it a couple times before passing it to his twin.

“Also, just so we’re clear, this two-v-two game of Skate Ball isn’t over yet,” Leo added.

“Sure, sure, it’s just ALMOST over,” Raph smirked. Leo met his brother’s cockiness with a bit of his own, and laughed when he managed to dribble-skate past the snapper after a quick fake-out, much to Raph’s surprise and irritation.

“So,” Mikey started to say as he skated towards Leo, ready to try and score another point, “We’re gonna have a unicorn rogue from space, steampunk cowboy-”

“And you were talking about ME being over the top,” Leo quipped, his purple teammate then giving him a glare.

“-Masked wrestler, whatever freaky-cool monster look April’s gonna do this year, aaaand-” Mikey stuck his tongue out, trying to grab the ball again but instead getting blocked by Donnie while Leo tried to make it to the hoop. Raph skated after him, and managed to just barely knock the ball away when Leo tried to shoot.

“Maaan, come on!” Leo pouted. Raph just chuckled and skated after the loose ball. 

“I’m actually surprised you haven’t come up with a costume already, Mikey,” Donnie told him as the two of them got back into the fray, “You’ve usually got a few on your mind by July!”

But Mikey just shrugged. “I’ll think of one eventually, I always do.” With that, he crouched down. Using his hands and killer upper arm strength to push himself, Mikey skated under the arms of all three of his brothers, snatching the basketball back and laughing on his way out.

After about another fifteen minutes of playing, their game of Skate Ball finally ended with Leo and Donnie managing to get a two point lead at the last minute. “That was a lucky shot!” Raph grumbled.

“A lucky WINNING shot,” Leo retorted, grinning widely at his brother in red, “Emphasis on ‘winning’.”

“Indeed,” Donnie nodded, smirking as well, “And with that victory under our belt, I should really get going. I promised April I’d help her with her pre-calc homework.”

As Donnie went off to grab his hoodie, Leo picked up his board and started heading towards the arcade room. “I think I’m gonna keep this victory streak going and fight some digital bad guys. Later, guys!”

Raph’s eyes widened slightly, his grumpiness from losing instantly fading away. This was his chance! “So, Mikey, how about the two of us-” He turned, and Mikey was already gone, having ran off to who knows where. “...talk,” Raph finished before groaning.

In a sense, things were back to normal. Mikey was still busy with work and personal projects, but for the past week or so, he had tried to hang out with his family somewhat too in-between his shifts. Even if they were doing something as simple as watching tv together, Mikey made the effort to join them. Having fun, joking around - on the surface, it was like they had never even had a fight!

Still, Raph still felt an inkling of… of something in the back of his mind, that something still wasn’t totally right. Mikey still didn’t talk much about work, still leaving them all in the dark somewhat when it came to that new part of their youngest brother’s life. The fact that he and Mikey hadn’t gotten a chance to actually talk about what had happened - or rather, Mikey refused to give him the chance to - didn’t exactly help Raph feel better…

Still, there wasn’t much he could do about it now. So, reluctantly, Raph followed Leo up to the arcade, figuring some Street Fighter and Pants Pants Revolution would at least help him get his mind off Mikey.

And speaking of the box turtle…

Mikey pouted slightly as he looked at all the various cans and bottles of paint he had spread out on his hammock, hoping the sight of one of the colors would be the spark he needed. But so far, no dice. “Man, that’s what usually works…” 

Okay, maybe it wasn’t cool to duck out on Raph like that (like he’d been doing), but he had a good excuse! He was legitimately feeling artsy, and having the night off gave him the chance to be creative! ...Unfortunately, his blocked mind didn’t seem to agree. 

Moving away from his paints for now, he snatched up a half filled sketchbook and a couple pencils and plopped down on the floor. But as soon as the tip of the #2 pencil touched the paper, Mikey felt his mind go _completely_ blank. He groaned, and tapped his head a few times. “C’mon brain, work with me here…” 

He had been full of ideas about a week ago, but now all of those ideas were either miles away from his mind or he just didn’t feel like doing them. The only idea from before that he was still semi-interested in was his stone carvings, but after nearly cutting one of his fingers off with a kunai, Mikey figured he was better off waiting for the carving tools Donnie had ordered for him before trying that again.

In the meantime, he had painted a couple stones he found to look like frogs and fat dogs and stuff like that. They were cute, but not super stimulating, and there was only so much you could do with a round canvas. So, Mikey forced his eyes back to his paper, pushing his hand to move. 

Slowly but surely, he started to draw. Eyes. Mouth. Frown. Stars. Some blobby looking thing. Stylized question mark. Pizza. Kappa. More faces with frowns. Sidewalk that didn’t really lead anywhere. Stick people family. Stars and swirls. Messy scratches and lines, MORE scratches and lines-!

Mikey tore the page out, crumbling it up and tossing it towards the wall. “Hmph, dumb artblock…” Standing up, Mikey grabbed his poofy winter parka and the ski hat and scarf that Raph had knitted for him from his dresser. It wasn’t even that cold out, still being in the high 40s and low 50s, but being cold-blooded always made the weather seem at least ten degrees below that. Still, being cold would be worth it, if he could just get out of his head for a bit. 

While he still tended to stick to the less crowded streets of NYC, Mikey could tell just by the lights and noise in the distance that the Big Apple was bustling that night. With Halloween just a few weeks away and the other holidays right around the corner, there was plenty to be done. “Times Square must be a nightmare,” he mumbled, yet at the same time he felt tempted to grab their hippo suit and go check out all the decorations and excitement for himself. 

Still, even the unpopular streets had interesting sites. People putting lights up or lighting candles, not to mention the jack-o-lanterns that some people were already setting out. Spooky paper skeletons, paper leaves taped to windows, fake cobwebs that stretched down apartment buildings like vines-

Something white and transparent suddenly flew right at Mikey, making him scream and stumble back. Though, when the spectre fell to the ground with a weak flop, he quickly realized it was just a decoration. Granted that realization didn’t stop a shiver from going up his shell, but even so. “Sorry!” someone from above him said as they started pulling the ghost back up, “Lost hold of it! Hope I didn’t scare ya too badly!”

“Heh, it’s cool!” Mikey waved, continuing on his way. Ugh, the one part of Halloween that totally creeped him out… Monsters and mutants? Cool. Freaky foot cult and psycho sheepmen? No problem! But haunted houses and ghosts? Mikey shivered again. “Nuh uh, no thanks,” he grumbled, pulling his head into his parka a little. 

A slight wind blew past his cheeks, a couple leaves brushing past him before flying away. Mikey hugged his arms close, eyes glancing around. Being a ninja, nighttime was his element. Shadows were familiar and safe, his father had made sure they knew that, and he had the skills and training that allowed him to move through darkness like a fish swam through water. ...Still, with ghosts now on his mind, he couldn’t help but wonder what else was lurking in the dark beside him... 

But he couldn’t think like that! Little kids thought like that, and he wasn’t-! Mikey scowled, shaking his head. “You’re fine,” he told himself, even as his footsteps got a bit quicker and his hands gripped his arms more tightly. Figuring some time on a brighter street would calm his nerves, Mikey sped up even more as he spotted an alleyway just a couple buildings ahead of him. He just had to get onto a rooftop - a nice, open, lit up with moonlight rooftop - and he would be fine!

Just a little further, a little further, and-! 

The moment he reached the alley, a figure about a head shorter than Mikey was leaving and bumped right into him. Mikey started to say something, but his words became a scream when he saw hollow, slightly glowing eyes staring back at him.

The short figure screamed back at him, nearly cowering as they backed up. They had a pale face that was partially hidden with a hood, but while that didn’t exactly help Mikey feel less scared, his freaked out mind did still manage to pick up on the sound that the figure was making. Some sort of rattling - not the rattling of chains or gears, but more like rocks. ...Or bones.

Mikey’s eyes widened. “Wait… Junior?!”

The figure didn’t answer, but the more Mikey looked at him, the more he could tell it was him - even with Hueso Jr. having a hood over his head instead of his usual hat. “Ohmigosh! I’m sorry! I just- I thought you were a ghost!” Mikey shouted. 

“Ghosts aren’t real,” Junior mumbled, eyesockets still locked on the ground and refusing to come any closer.

Mikey blinked. “...But aren’t yokai technically spirits?”

Junior shook his head, just barely resisting the urge to roll his eyes in an ‘ _ay_ , surface dwellers’ sort of way. Just because Yokai were mystic didn’t mean they were spirits. 

“I’m really sorry, man,” Mikey said, rubbing the back of his neck. He then gave Junior a small smile. “But hey, we freaked each other out, so I guess that makes us even!”

“I guess,” Junior mumbled, finally starting to relax somewhat. 

Seeing this, Mikey walked over to him. “So, what are you doin’ around here, if you don’t mind me asking? Just gettin’ some fresh air?”

“Yeah,” Junior nodded, “after all, it’s the easiest time of year to get it.” He lightly touched his boney cheek. “Anyone who sees me just thinks I’m a kid who’s a little too into the holiday spirit.”

Mikey chuckled. “Makes sense.” He pulled on his scarf a bit, fiddling with the string on the end of it. “I have to wear this stuff just to keep from freezing, but it does do a good job hiding the green skin.” Smiling growing, he rubbed the soft scarf against his cheeks. “And it really is cozy!”

Junior chuckled. “I can see that. Your mom must be pretty good at knitting.”

“Oh, my big bro made these actually, and yeah, he’s pretty great at it. Pretty great guy, too…” Mikey trailed off a bit, dropping the scarf and staying still for a moment before looking back at Junior. “So uh, hey, mind if I join you?”

The skeleton boy considered it. He really had come out here just to be alone with his thoughts, but… “I guess not. Just- Wait, where-?” Moving past Mikey, he spotted the soccer ball that had bounced out of his arms when they had bumped into each other. Picking the ball up, he glanced back at Mikey, sort of showing him the ball and giving him a bit of a shrug.

Understanding what he was getting at, Mikey grinned. “I’m good with soccer!” Junior smiled back at him. 

They walked for a while, not talking much but still enjoying each other’s company well enough. On the way, Mikey spotted a ‘KL’ painted on some bodega’s side wall with dark green paint. “Heh, good to know she’s still around,” Mikey said, having been a little curious after not seeing her since their trip. 

“Who?” Junior asked.

“Oh, just a friend I met a little while ago. Haven’t seen her in a while, but I guess she’s just doin’ her own thing.” Still running back and forth between realms, still causing mischief… and still probably doing whatever she could to get food, it being just as much as a game as it was for survival. The idea made Mikey frown a little, but he shook it away for the time being. 

Eventually, they found a nice open parking lot in-between two dark buildings. As long as they were fairly quiet about it, they wouldn’t have any trouble. So they kicked the ball around, trying to steal it from each other and score ‘goals’ off the old brick walls. 

Mikey was used to running around, but he had sort of underestimated just how athletic Junior was. Once he started feeling a bit winded and warmed up, Mikey slipped off his parka and threw the hanging part of his scarf over his shell. “Man, you’re really givin’ me a run for my money, Bone Boy!”

Junior gave him a bit of a look, kicking the ball up and catching it. “Is that supposed to be an insult?”

“Uhh, no? I mean, me and my bros call your dad Bone Man and he never seems offended by it, so…”

“...Alright, then,” Junior nodded, accepting the not-malicious nickname. With that, he tossed the ball back on the ground and dribbled it across the concrete. Mikey did his best to try and steal it, but between Junior’s speed and detachable legs that could hop under Mikey and keep the ball in its control, it was tough. 

Still, unable to help but be impressed by Junior’s skill, Mikey cheered when the skeleton scored another goal. “Man, you are REALLY good!” Junior could only give a bit of a sheepish smile at that. “You ever think about tryin’ to go pro?” Mikey asked, “I mean, I don’t know if they’ve got huge sports teams in the Hidden City but-”

At that, Junior frowned. “Ah, no, it’s… it’s just a hobby, really.”

“Oh…” A bit confused by his friend’s sudden change in mood, Mikey tried cheer him back up. “Uh, hey! Bet I can kick a goal while doing a handstand!” 

“...Without using your hands to toss the ball into the air?” Junior questioned, admittedly curious.

Mikey didn’t answer. He simply rolled the ball onto his foot, bouncing it a couple times before kicking it _hard,_ shooting it up into the sky. He then flipped onto his hands, making sure to have perfect balance and posture, and kicked the ball just as it was coming back down, knocking it into the wall.

“...Okay, that was pretty awesome,” Junior stated. Mikey took a bow.

The two teens continued to play, usually forgetting to keep score and instead just enjoying themselves, before finally deciding to take a break. “So hey,” Mikey started to say as they took a seat on the cool concrete, “Were you able to start school okay?”

“Oh, uh, yeah,” Junior nodded, turning the ball in his hands, “I started a couple weeks ago.”

“Well, how’s it been?” Mikey asked, “What kind of classes do you get to take? Are there really a ton of cool kids there? Do you get to do stuff like gym and art class? And what about the teachers, what are they like? What kind of cafeteria food do they have? What-” 

Mikey stopped, noticing how stiff Junior’s body was and how he was staring at the ground again. He cringed, quieting his voice. “Heh, sorry. Got excited.” Maybe he wasn’t as into academics as Donnie was, but the idea of actually going to school and being able to compare it to the things he saw about it on tv and movies still seemed pretty fun. “So, uh, are you enjoying it?”

Junior scoffed slightly, squeezing the ball. “...It’s noisy, and annoying, and it stinks that I apparently ‘need it’.” He then sighed. “I just wish I could’ve stuck with being homeschooled by my aunt, but… I guess it was inevitable that I’d have to go to real school eventually.” Even if his father hadn’t been cleared of his past accidental crimes, he probably would have found him a disguise charm and sent him to human school like Exploding Frankie’s daughter. At the very least, Hueso seemed to expect his son to go to college eventually, bringing it up occasionally. 

The thought of college and anything and everything that came with it was enough to make Junior’s bones start to rattle again. 

Giving him a sympathetic look, Mikey placed a gentle hand on Junior’s back. “Sorry you’re not havin’ a great time… My friend April sometimes has a rough time at school too. But, hopefully it gets better - or at the very least, less annoying.”

“Hmph, yeah. I can only hope…” Curling up tighter around the soccer ball, Junior let the edge of his hood fall over his eyes. “...Heh, funnily enough, I had the chance to get out of going to school.”

“Really?” Mikey asked.

“Yeah… A few months ago, my father offered me what could’ve been my job, and what ended up being part of your job. I wouldn’t have been cooking, but I would have done the dishes and the trash and sometimes help out on the floor.”

“Oh no, I didn’t take the job from you, did I?”

“No no, I refused it long before you came along asking for one,” Junior explained. He paused for a moment. “It probably would have been easier, though… Just working and learning on the job, getting experience and all that. But…”

Mikey tilted his head a bit. “But what? You didn’t want to join the family business? Or you just didn’t want to work in a restaurant?”

Hueso scowled. “I don’t know WHAT I want,” he snapped slightly, making the orange turtle blink.

“Oh! Well, no worries!” Mikey insisted, “You’ve got plenty of time to figure it out, and I’m sure your dad will-”

“But I don’t want to figure it out!” Junior yelled, his boney hands balling up into fists, “Why can’t I just… Just do what I like and not have to worry about the future or whatever? Why can’t I just stay where I am?!”

Mikey stared at him, and Hueso Jr. refused to say any more, instead choosing to glare at the ground below. Despite the shouting, there were no curious eyes moving to the window to ask what was going on. The only sound surrounding them were crickets and the occasional car that drove past. At some point, Junior mumbled an apology, but it was so quiet that Mikey could barely hear it. 

“...So, what things do you like then?” Mikey asked, “Besides soccer, I mean.”

Hueso looked at him. Mikey didn’t seem too turned off by the sudden outburst, and was instead genuinely curious. “...Well, other sports are pretty alright. Baseball and fencing- my father taught me a bit of that, though I’m not very good… And, I like music too. Alt rock, a little classical.” He winced slightly, hoping that little tidbit didn’t make him sound too boring or old-fashioned. After all, what thirteen year old liked classical music?

Apparently Mikey did - or at the very least, he didn’t think liking it was weird. “You play anything?”

Junior laughed slightly. “No, no. I took piano lessons when I was little but they didn’t really stick…” Hiding his face a little, he added. “I thought about trying the trombone, but I thought that seemed a little too on the nose.”

Mikey blinked, taking a moment to get it, before chuckling. “Sounds like you’ve got jokes too! Heh, guess you could say you don’t really have the guts to be a performer, just the spine.”

Junior was grinning a bit himself now. “Definitely not. I can guarantee the moment I step on any stage, it’ll be a bone-ified disaster!”

“Aw man,” Mikey shook his head, “Come on, don’t be so hard on yourself, dude! Lighten up, be a little humerus!”

“Tc’ch, face it _tortuga_ , me being a star is nothing but a femur dream.”

“Heh, geez. I wasn’t expecting you to have such a funny bone, or to just start ribbing me like that!”

“What, you’re not a fan of puns? Well, that’s just great, here I thought we were becoming _amigos_ but… I guess now you’ve got a bone to pick with me, huh?”

Mikey groaned, falling back onto the concrete before falling into a fit of laughter. Junior laughed along with him, smiling wide enough to show off the gap in his teeth and looking just as happy as the pictures his father had of him in his office. 

As he sat back up, Mikey made a mental note to himself to reintroduce Junior to Leo sometime. It would mean sitting through a torturous amount of skele-ton puns, but if made them happy, Mikey would put up with it. “So you like sports, you like music, you’ve got jokes- anything else?”

“Well…” Junior leaned back slightly, glancing up at the stars. Even if there were only a few of them to sparkle back at him, thanks to the smog and lights of the city, it was still a nice sight. “...A couple years ago, I started helping my papa- er, my father, with his model ships. I was just curious and bored, and when I went to go see what he was doing, he invited me to join in. They’re actually a lot more detailed than you would think, which made it a little difficult to get just right, but it was still pretty fun.”

But despite the happy memory, his smile started to fade. “...But, you can’t exactly make a career out of making model ships or, or making up puns or sitting in your room and listening to music.”

“Well, why the heck would you want to make any of those ‘careers’, anyway?” Mikey asked, “That’s why they’re called hobbies, right? ‘Cause they’re the things you do outside of work?”

“But hobbies can also lead to work,” Junior quietly retorted, “Or, at the very least, finding something that you’d want to make a living doing. That’s how it was for my father, and apparently, how it is for you…” He sounded a bit bitter about that, but mostly, the skeleton teen just felt frustrated.

“Wait, so… What, does Hueso want you to start figuring out what you wanna be when you grow up or whatever?”

“Well… He doesn’t SAY that but…” Junior sighed, muttering something in Spanish. “...It just feels like, for the past couple years - _especially_ since my thirteenth birthday a few months ago - my father and pretty much everyone else in my family have been saying how I’m ‘growing up’ and that soon I’ll be ‘making my own way in the world’... School’s just made it worse - one of the first days there, they made me go to some guidance counselor. I told them I didn’t know what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go, and they just shoved a bunch of pamphlets into my hands. I’m supposed to be figuring out my ‘next step’ but, but what if I don’t want to _take_ that step?”

Junior glanced over at Mikey, who seemed to still be listening. In fact, he almost looked like he understood. But, how could that be? He was the same age as him, and he had already started his career as a chef. Mikey wasn’t totally clueless. He wasn’t a coward.

“But everyone wants me to,” Junior continued, “To- To start working at the pizzeria or, or to find the class that I’ll love above everything else or- or to just find the one thing - my one passion - that I’ll be so interested in that I’d be willing to dedicate my life to it. Not only that, but it _also_ has to be something that I am talented enough at that I can make a living off it so I don’t end up homeless and broke and a failure, and it also has to be something that makes me happy and I have to find it on my own and make my own success without any help because apparently I’m a grown up now and _“un hombre hace su propio camino”_ and _“_ _el tiempo no espera a nadie”_ and-! And I just DON’T KNOW!”

Junior buried his face into his soccer ball, embarrassed and frustrated and trying to figure out when life had become so stupid and complicated… “It's not like I want to go with the alternative… Not like I want to run off and be a pirate like tìo Piel or something like that… I just want to stay still, not trying to take my ‘next step’ and not letting my mind’s worries get the better of me.” And if he couldn't even be happy and self-respecting in the present, then what was the point of planning for the future?

“...Geez…” Mikey said, putting a sympathetic hand on his friend’s shoulder. “You’re right… All of that really _does_ stink. No wonder you got so worked up.” 

Junior gave a dry chuckle. “Yeah… it really does…”

“...But you know, that’s a lot of pressure just to put on a hobby. Like, wayyyy too much pressure,” Mikey continued, “And, I don’t think you’re supposed to just go into something hoping you can make a career out of it, ‘cause I’m pretty sure that would make even the most fun and coolest things out there feel like a chore.”

“Easy for you to say,” Junior told him, voice still slightly muffled by the ball in his lap, “You already found your passion that you also just so happened to be talented at in and can also become a career.”

“Well yeah, but I didn’t get into cooking just for those things! I just did it cause I saw my pop cooking sometimes and I thought it seemed fun! I barely knew what it was, but I still wanted to try it out for myself! And hey, I wasn’t great at cooking right out of the mutation tank, you know. One of the first things I ever cooked was cup ramen with whatever veggies and fruit I could find just thrown right in!”

There was a long pause between them. “...You put fruit… in ramen?” Junior said slowly, unable to hide his slightly disgusted look.

Mikey pouted back at him. “I was _six_ , don’t judge! What I’m TRYING to say is that I just found cooking randomly, and because I actually enjoyed it, I was able to bother puttin’ in the effort to get better at it without getting bored or tired of it, and not so I could work in a restaurant one day. I didn’t even know I’d be able to do that one day! I was a mutant turtle livin’ in a sewer and I wouldn’t know non-human restaurants existed for years! But I still kept at it ‘cause I liked doing it! Same with art and ninjutsu!”

Junior stared at him, and while he wasn’t nearly as confident as his orange-wearing companion, he was at least starting to understand. “All I’m sayin’ is, when it comes to finding stuff you like to do, you just gotta go with the flow!” Mikey continued, “Try whatever random thing you come across that you’re interested in without worryin’ if you’re gonna be good at it or if you can turn it into a job. Just have fun, and you’ll probably end up finding your passions anyway! Heck, I know a guy who decided to be a dancer after just trying out a dancing game-” And getting annoyingly obsessed with it, but that was beside the point. “And speaking of which, if you happen to find a random hobby that you don’t mind turning into a career, then great! Grab your passion and take it by the horns, baby!”

“...And if I don’t want it to be anymore than a hobby?” Junior asked, raising an eyebrow, “If I just… randomly find something that I _am_ passionate about, but not passionate enough to make a living out of it?”

“Then have it be the thing you do AFTER work to cheer yourself up,” Mikey countered, as if it were the easiest solution in the world, “Dream jobs are great goals to have, but you shouldn’t have to force yourself to have one if you don’t want one. Just work where you can and do what you love off the clock!”

“...I guess that is a pretty simple solution to all this, huh?” Junior said, a twinge of embarrassment still brushed on his cheeks, “But, if I’m being totally honest… The idea of having ANY job still sort of… freaks me out.”

Remembering what he had in his rant, Mikey gave Junior a reassuring smile. “Well, maybe I can’t speak for the rest of your fam but, I know your pop definitely seems like the type of guy that’ll give you a hand when you need it. Maybe most grown ups go it alone when it comes to dealin’ with life and having a job and being an adult, but there’s nothing saying that’s what YOU have to do! You don’t have to be alone.”

“...I don’t mind being alone,” Junior admitted, “That part’s fine.” Less annoying than being forced to talk to people or work with strangers. “But… I guess it’s the figuring things out my own and... and failing because I couldn’t - that’s what frightens me…” To disappoint people enough that they didn’t want to help him, to make the wrong choices and end up an unhappy adult because of it. Yes, others would maybe offer their help, but it still felt like it would be his own choices that decided his fate...

“Like I said, Senor Hueso doesn’t seem like the type,” Mikey insisted, “And you’ve got plenty of time to figure it out - what you like to do, and what you want to do.”

Junior stayed silent for a while, thinking about his friend’s advice. It still seemed too easy, too likely to fail in some sort of way but… Well, it was probably better than just stressing about it, as easy as that was. “...You said you did art and… ninjutsu?” Junior asked.

“Yep!” Mikey beamed, “Ninjutsu ‘cause of the movies my dad showed us when we were little. They were so cool, and we knew our Pop knew martial arts too, so we just _had_ to get him to train us! And art ‘cause, well, it was just fun! Plus, you know how you can just get so many thoughts at once that you can’t even decide which to talk about? Well, art made it a lot easier to get all my ideas out - or at least, it did when I was two. But it’s still something I love doin’ when I can, especially when I find a new style or new type of art to do.”

Remembering it, Mikey reached into his shell and pulled out a couple markers. “You wanna give it a try?”

“What, art?” Junior asked, “But I, I’ve never- I wouldn’t even know what to draw!”

“So? Come on, what’d we say about going with the flow?”

“...” Still unsure but figuring he didn’t have much of a choice, Junior took the red marker, leaving Mikey with the green one. “Do you have paper in there too?”

“Got a canvas right here,” Mikey told him, already putting his marker to the concrete. The marker wasn’t made for such a rough surface, so the color wasn’t nearly as nice, but Mikey didn’t focus on that. He just drew, relieved that his block seemed to be gone. With skeletons and skeleton puns still on his mind, he started to doodle a skeleton comedian with a sharp-looking suit and a spotlight shining right on him. 

Junior watched Mikey for a couple seconds before starting to draw as well, choosing the first thing that popped into his head and hoping that he had seen it enough times to do a decent recreation. “...What about you, then?” he asked suddenly without looking over at his art buddy, “Do you ever worry about the future?”

Mikey paused, his marker stopping mid-line and its paint pooling under it slightly. “...I guess… I guess it’s not really me that I’m worried about,” he said simply, and didn’t say any more as he finished his comedian. He added a few extra details to the face and some shading before calling it good. Figuring that a comedian needed jokes, he added a word bubble and wrote “I’ve got a skele-ton of ‘em!”

“...One of the more predictable puns,” Junior commented after reading it, “But it works. The drawing’s good too.”

“Thanks! And yours is…” Mikey looked at the crudely drawn ship, its sails uneven and the boat itself looking like it was already sort of sinking into the messily drawn ocean. “It’s… pretty good-!”

“No it’s not,” Junior said flatly, “As it turns out, I can build model ships just fine, I just can’t draw them.”

“...Iiiiit’s pretty _not_ good, yeah,” Mikey said sheepishly. Junior laughed a little at that, both amused and grateful that Mikey was still trying to be somewhat polite about it. “But art’s not about being perfect, it’s about drawing what’s in your heart! And hey, it was still pretty fun, right?”

Junior shrugged, though his smile remained. “I guess it was a little fun…” It sucked at it, sure, but it was still a bit of fun. “You said you did other types of art as well?”

“Oh yeah! Street art’s pretty much my main jam though. Figuring out how to make a cool tag or thinking of a sweet mural and then throwing it up on the perfect spot- SO good! But I like drawing and sketching too. Then there’s more physical art like dance and can stacking-” Junior gave him a bit of a look at that. “It’s a thing! There’s also paper mache, clay, paper crafts- Oh! And I’m gonna try to start carving soon, and I’m SO psyched about-!”

Just then, Mikey felt his phone buzzing against his back, feeling it before hearing its chime. Taking it out, he saw that it was just a text from Donnie - though the context of the text itself was pretty big: **_“Radar picked up a mutant deer attacking traffic in Brooklyn, meet us there ASAP!”_ **Along with the text was a pic of a pretty ticked off deer-woman dressed in torn office clothes who was about to headbutt a thankfully empty taxi, and a blurry April running towards her.

 _“On my way, Dee!”_ Mikey texted back.

“Is everything alright?” Junior asked, leaning over a bit to look at the phone, “Do- ...Is that deer trying to fight a car?”

“Yyyyyep.” Mikey slipped his phone back into his shell. He hated to leave his skeleton friend hanging, but his brothers needed him. Besides, he still loved being a ninja, even if it no longer seemed like the only option. “I gotta go, but hey, thanks for hangin’ out! You’re a lot of fun, and really cool too!”

Junior blinked, looking a bit flustered. “I-I’m not really, but… _gracias.”_ This was the second time Mikey had called him cool, and while it still didn’t seem like a description that fit someone like him, Junior still managed to smile a little. “And you, well… You tolerate my puns and are a good listener so, I’d say you’re pretty cool too.”

“Aw, thanks man!” Mikey grinned. He would’ve given Hueso Jr. a hug for that, but he could feel his phone buzzing again, so he knew he had no time to waste. He took a moment to remember which direction Brooklyn was, and then started running. “See you later!” he yelled over his shoulder.

“See y- wait! You forgot your marker!” Noticing a bundle of orange near one of the walls, Junior added, “And your coat!” But Mikey was already long gone, at least far enough away to be unable to hear him. “Oh well,” he sighed, “Papa will just have to give it back to him when he comes in for work…” 

Tucking both the parka and his soccer ball under his arm, Junior decided to start walking home. He breathed in the autumn air deeply, enjoying the peace and silence surrounding him once more, though the box turtle’s words still echoed a bit in his skull.

Either way, his steps felt a bit lighter as he dared to hold his head up towards the glimmering city skyline.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

“...Okayyyy so, I think it’s safe to say that road rage and mutation do NOT mix,” Leo quipped as they all walked into the main atrium.

“Not like I can really blame her,” April said, rolling her slightly sore shoulders back as she walked, “You guys don’t know how lucky you are to just hop across rooftops whenever you need to get somewhere.”

“The fact that we drive a giant, high-tech tank with traffic-avoidance navigation and enough power and weapons to literally drive over anything in our way also helps,” Donnie added. He and April had only managed to get about half her pre-calc assignment finished before his Donnie Detection started blaring at them. But between the aches between everyone and their adrenaline high from the fight finally coming down, they weren’t in the mood to do _anything_ except chill until it was time for bed (or in April’s case, time for her to head home).

But while the rest of his family rushed ahead towards the available TV room, already discussing what movie to stream, Mikey lingered behind. The fight with Car Lane-Doe (Leo’s idea) had been fun, no doubt about that. Seeing a new mutant was always cool, no matter how much trouble they caused. But without anything distracting him, certain thoughts were beginning to once again take center stage, just as they had been trying to for nearly a week now. 

Mikey glanced ahead, his eyes being drawn to the back of Raph’s head. It was funny (or maybe just frustrating), he never really had a problem with being honest with his family before, no matter the harsh truth that needed to say. He _was_ called Dr. Delicate Touch for a reason, after all. And yet this, well… This didn’t seem nearly as easy.

“Nah, I gotta agree with April,” Raph said firmly as he crossed his arms, “It’s the season for it, we’ve gotta watch a monster movie! And what’s better than one that’s literally called Monsters VS Aliens?!”

“But that one’s not even scary!” Leo argued exasperatedly.

“Still counts!” the snapper insisted. 

But before he could listen to Donnie’s counter argument for The Thing, another voice called for his attention. “Umm, Raph?” he heard Mikey say, loud enough for his big brother to catch but quiet enough for the rest of his family to miss. 

Raph turned, looking at him with slightly hopeful eyes, but still trying to play it cool. “Yeah? You need something, Mike?”

“...Dude, what’s with the weird face?” Mikey asked, making a face back at him.

Raph scowled. “It’s- it’s not a face! Ugh. So, what do you want? Do you need to talk about something, or…?” 

“Ummmmmm…” Mikey winced. He hadn’t forgotten what he had wanted to say, yet the more Raph looked at him, the harder it was for the words to come out. “I just wanted you to know that uhh- t-that I finally decided on my costume! And I’ve decided that… I’m going to be a ghost!”

Raph blinked. Well that was unexpected. “Really? You’re sure?”

Mikey nodded, forcing his smile to stay as he silently hoped Raph wouldn’t hold him to this come Halloween Night. “I just figured that, hey, I ain’t afraid of no ghosts! What with their creepy moans and spooky faces and, and their ice cold touch an’ how you can’t touch them or fight them off but they can still possess you or _worse_ … Heh, SO lame and TOTES not scary! Not to me! And I thought, hey, what better way to celebrate me not bein’ afraid of them anymore than to dress up as one!”

“Huh… Well, hey, good for you, Mikey!” Raph smiled, “Heh, I guess you really are growin’ up, huh?”

Mikey nodded again, ignoring the pain in his cheeks. “Sure am! And you know how I like to give my costumes a ton of flair and razz-ma-tazz so I should really get started. Nighty night!”

“Uh, ‘night,” Raph mumbled as he watched his brother run back to his room. He was used to Mikey-weirdness by this point, but even this was strange. Raph had thought that maybe Mikey was still secretly angry at him. Or maybe Mikey still thought that Raph was angry at him? But this didn’t seem like either of those things. But if that were the case then… what WAS going on with his orange brother?

Once in his room, Mikey groaned and flopped down on his hammock. He was tired though not yet sleepy, and having accidentally trapped himself in his room, Mikey grabbed his sketch book and tried to draw once more as he drifted off. 

But while his mind was swirling with ideas and questions and emotions, his pencil stayed completely still.


	8. Chapter 8

“POWER PUNCH JITSU!”

The familiar, sparking red aura surrounded his fists, and with a roar Raph threw his powered-up punch right through a trio of Origami Soldiers, shredding their middles and leaving them as torsos and legs. The soldiers tried to bring themselves back together, but a few surprise slices from an odachi left them in too many pieces to try. 

“You guys just aren’t cut out for this, huh?” Leo quipped. Raph groaned, facepalming. “What, Raph?” the slider smirked, “I’m just sayin’, for origami men, you’d think they’d be a little more creative! But as it turns out, they’re pretty tearabl- OOF!” Once again, Leo’s one-liners distracted him, leaving him to get tackled by another Origami Soldier, with three others right behind him, ready to pile on and overwhelm the blue turtle. 

Raph opened his mouth to shout at Mikey, wondering why he hadn’t flung his 'fundo over to where they were already when he remembered- Right. Mikey was at work, not here. So, powering his tonfas back up, Raph rushed into the fray.

It took a few more minutes of fighting, but eventually the two of them were able to destroy all of the Origami Soldiers. There had only been a few of them when they first arrived at the docks that night, but as soon as the Turtles started fighting them, more came from nearby to help out their fellow paper soldiers. Thankfully, that still only amounted to two dozen. Enough to be a good fight, but not enough to be overwhelming.

Taking a moment to make sure no others were coming their way, Raph relaxed. “Good work, Leo,” he told his brother. After sliding his tonfas back in their holders, he held up a fist, which Leo gladly bumped.

“You too, bro,” Leo nodded. He then glanced up at the roof of one of the marina’s boat houses, where his twin had perched himself when the fight began, not wanting their original reason for coming there to get snatched in the fight. “So Donnie, you find that mystic metal yet? Shouldn’t be a problem to get now, right?” 

“...” Donnie bit his lip slightly, his goggles still covering his eyes. 

“...Donnie?” Raph asked, crossing his arms.

“Heh, well, you see… Funny thing about that ‘metal’, fellas,” Donnie started to say, rubbing the back of his neck, “There might not have actually been any-”

“Seriously, Don?!” “Dude, come _on_ are you kidding?!”

“It’s not my fault!” Donnie snapped, “How was I supposed to know my mystic metal scanner would get confused by some of the ancient, salt water-rusted metal here at the docks?! Ugh.” He hopped down from the roof, lifting his goggles up so he could properly scowl back at his brothers. Truthfully, he should’ve known something was malfunctioning when his goggles reported anywhere from one to several pieces of mystic metal located in that area, but it had still been worth a try! “Besides, there were Foot soldiers stationed here, which we wouldn’t have destroyed and effectively kicked out of here if not for me so, you’re welcome.”

Raph huffed. “Yeah, I guess there’s that… The less turf taken up by the Foot Faces, the better.”

“Aaand unless some fishing boat gets a net full of Dark Armor as their catch of the day, we can at least cross another place off the search list,” Leo added as he leaned against a pole, “A few hundred down, only a few _thousand_ to go…”

“Hey, c’mon Leo,” Raph lightly scolded, “We’ll find ‘em, no matter how many places we have to search. We have to.” They couldn’t start giving up now, not when the Foot and Draxum already had at least six pieces of the _Kuroi Yōroi_. 

“In the meantime though,” Donnie started to say, “If we want to avoid going on another wild goose chase in the future, I’d suggest we head home so I can fine tune my scanners a bit. Maybe see if I can strengthen my crystal a bit too. With any luck, I can make it so we can scan the entire _city_ from one spot for mystical elements instead of having to travel from borough to borough and hope we get close enough to pick up on something.”

“Sounds good to me,” Leo nodded, “We’ve already searched for like five hours tonight and it’s already past midnight, so I doubt we’re going to find anything now.” The night was actually pretty pleasant and not too cold, but that didn’t mean he wanted to waste it looking for nothing.

“Yeah, alright,” Raph sighed. He hated having yet another unsuccessful mission under his belt, but it wasn’t like he didn’t have other things to do that night either… He lightly patted the pack on his belt, making sure it hadn’t popped open during the fight. Once he was sure his gift was still there, he told the twins, “You guys go ahead and head home, I’ll meet you there later.”

Both brothers raised an eyebrow at him. “Why, where are you going?” Donnie asked.

“Oh, you know, a place,” Raph vaguely answered, “A-A place that I just have to stop by real quick, no reason, just want to!”

“...” The twins exchanged a look. “You mean a place like Run of the Mill?” Leo guessed.

Raph winced, and Leo knew he guessed right. “Er- Maybe! But, maybe Raph’s just hungry, yeah! And Mill’s the only place that’s open this late so- so why wouldn’t I go there?” And if he just so happened to run into Mikey, who would most likely already be in a good mood from work, then what was wrong with trying to finally talk to him? 

_And_ if Raph just so happened to have a package of orange spiced tea cakes on him that he had snatched from their dad’s ‘do not touch’ shelf in the kitchen pantry, then there was nothing wrong with offering them to Mikey in the hopes of getting the guy to not just run off again, right? Right! “So yeah I’m just gonna head over that way, cool?”

“Yeah, cool,” Donnie replied dryly, “Good luck with your so-called ‘midnight snack’.” 

Raph nodded, already walking away and ignoring his purple brother’s sass. Maybe he _was_ worrying over nothing, maybe he and Mikey didn’t actually have anything to talk about. No hidden concerns or things to explain or to confront, maybe they really were okay…

But even so, Raph still had that small inkling in the back of his mind, something that pulled on his Big Brother senses just enough to keep him from ignoring it. Raph might have rushed into fights without thinking sometimes, but when it came to his younger brothers, he didn’t take chances. 

Not anymore. Not again. 

So, Raph kept walking at a steady pace, with not even the worry of Mikey getting annoyed and angry at him all over again slowing him down.

...Unfortunately, this meant that he failed to pick up on the small chitters underneath the old boards of the docks. Failed to see the twitching nostrils and silver claws in the shadows, and failed to see the red glowing eyes setting their sights on him... 

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Mikey hummed and danced a bit as he cleaned the table, holding the plates and glasses with one hand while he used the other to brush any crumbs or bits of food he spotted off the tablecloth. Once that was taken care of, he headed back into the kitchen with dirty dishes in tow. 

Just as he had expected, by the time he had finished cleaning after his earlier customers, the food and drinks for his present customers were ready. “Just gonna take this and bounce,” he said to himself, balancing the pizza and the pitcher of pop in his hands perfectly. 

Strutting out into the dining room, Mikey lifted the pitcher up for all of his tables to see. “Glasses up, ya’ll!” he announced. 

Several diners held up their glasses - some without even stopping their conversations with the people they were sitting with. With a smile, Mikey filled up each glass as he passed by, not spilling a single drop and watching the carbonation so none of his customers ended up getting a glass that was half bubbles. Once his pitcher was empty, Mikey then passed it onto another waiter before heading over to a kitsune with several tails and multiple obsidian piercings in her pointed ears. “Here ya go, Kona, one slightly burnt pepperoni pizza!” he grinned, “Made sure they sliced the pepperoni extra thick too, just like how ya like it!”

The kitsune woman grinned, picking up a pepperoni and tossing it in her mouth and humming at the mix of meaty and charcoal-like flavors. “Mmm, exquisite! And I didn’t even have to remind you what my special order was!”

“You don’t just forget a request as delicious as extra thick pepperoni slices,” Mikey said simply, “And I like my pizzas a little dark sometimes too. Anyway, enjoy!” As he walked to his next table, where an owl man (though not as buff or as intimidating as the one who worked for Big Mama) sat with his menu still open, Mikey got out his notepad and pencil. “So, have we decided what to get yet?

The owl man gave an apologetic smile. “Sorry, this is my first time eating here - a friend recommended it to me, and I know I want to try one of your famous pizzas but, well, I’m not sure which toppings would be the best-”

“No worries, bud!” Mikey insisted, “Pizza toppings are a pretty important decision. Though, if you ask me, I think you would like our slimy slug topping - we literally JUST got some fresh slugs in, _very_ chewy and savory - with some onions and artichokes for added texture on a thin crust for that SWEET crunch!”

“Oooh, that does sound good!” the owl nodded, “Thanks! I’ll take a small that, and a couple of cannolis too, please?”

“Coming right up!” Mikey said as he took the owl man’s menu. The owl just raised his glass to him, very grateful for the perfect recommendation - and that extra gesture just put even more pep into the orange turtle’s step. Little things like that made his nights outside of the kitchen just as enjoyable as the ones spent cooking and learning new techniques. Besides, with Fenella being on vacation and another waiter being out sick, Mikey was more than happy to lend a hand out on the floor. 

Making his way back over to the kitchen to drop off the order, Mikey nearly ended up running into Hueso as he was coming through the double doors. “Oh, pardon me, Mikey,” he said, politely stepping aside - though Mikey was too curious about the papers in his boss’s hands to keep walking.

“What’chu got there?” Mikey asked, trying to sneak a peek, “New recipes?”

Slightly annoyed, Hueso placed a hand on the turtle’s head and lightly pushed him away. “In a way… I was just discussing our upcoming holiday specials with Chef Victor.”

Mikey’s eyes practically sparkled at those words. “Whoaaa, you have special holiday dishes?!”

“Of course. You’d be surprised how hard it can be to get customers during the holidays, with most either wanting to stay home and cook or are simply too busy to eat a proper meal.” Hueso glanced down at his and his head chef’s brainstorming efforts. “We’ve pretty much settled on the specials for _Día de Muertos_ and the winter months, but we are still working on our Halloween Night dishes-”

Mikey gasped excitedly. “Oh! Can _I_ try coming up with a special for Halloween? I just KNOW I could think of something really cool that everyone’s gonna want to order! _Pleaaaase?”_

Hueso sighed. “Because I know how insistent you can be and because I know you actually do have impressive cooking skills, I will say… Fine. BUT, please make sure it is nothing too messy or crazy. We want to draw attention to our restaurant, yes, but it still has to actually be _edible._ ”

“No problem, Bone Man!” Mikey promised, putting his hands on his hips in a confident pose, “I’m gonna make you the best Halloween special dish ever, baby!” Hueso still had his doubts, though he would be lying if he said his youngest employee hadn’t proved himself. So, for now, he would trust in Mikey and his out of the box ideas. 

With permission granted and his mind already racing, Mikey quickly dropped off his order and went back out into the dining room, where he could brainstorm as he continued to work. “I guess I could do somethin’ with pumpkin… But that’s kinda basic now, EVERYONE’S doing something with pumpkin this time of year.” No, if he wanted to make something truly special and unique, he’d have to dig deeper... 

“Maybe I could just think of spooky ingredients?” He told himself as he started to sweep, “I mean, Yokai already eat things like slugs and sheep stomach, so why not somethin’ like- like fish heads! Or… Eyeballs?” Mikey stuck his tongue out. They may have served eyeball soup, but eyeball pizza? “Okay, no, that's going SO off the rails, way too crazy… Buuuut, maybe a different color pallet would totally do the trick!”

Lots of people liked squid ink pizza and pastas, that could be made to look pretty spooky! Black garlic would also work too, and maybe cheddar cheese instead of mozzarella for that bright orange look? Or a tomato and spice-stuffed sauce to look as red as blood. “Awwww _yeah_ , now we’re cookin’, baby!” Mikey nodded to himself. He wasn't totally sure how it'd taste, but at least he had a sort of game plan in mind - and wasn't that how all new recipes started out?

Although, for the not as daring customers, he would probably need an alternative special dish that was a bit more ‘basic’. And hey, dessert pizzas were a thing. Smoke and flavor up some pumpkin, with a gooey cinnamon and caramel-covered crust! He could even do some sugar art work - he had always wanted to try that! - and make a sugar cobweb to go on top!

It'd take some fine tuning, and probably a bit of input from his senior chefs, but other than that Mikey was feeling pretty confident in his ideas. “Hueso wanted special, and Magic Mike’s gonna give him special!” He fistpumped, nearly dropping his broom. Though, in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but wonder if there was a way to make his new dishes even MORE special - a true razz-ma-tazz filled experience! Maybe open up the kitchen for people to watch the food get cooked? Or maybe the pizzas and other dishes could be served inside a jack-o-lantern! That definitely sounded like some holiday fun! Or maybe-

Just then, the sound of the front portal-entrance opening up broke Mikey away from his thoughts. Glancing towards the pizzeria’s mural, he saw an older woman with pale grey skin step through, a pleasant smile on her face. She didn't have anyone else with her, and her dark outfit and nearly white face caused her to stick out like a sore thumb amidst the warm colors of the restaurant, but she seemed nice enough. 

What really caught Mikey’s attention though was the woman’s hair. Her pitch black hair was as long as she was tall, and as Mikey walked over to the maitre d’s podium, he could start to notice that the tips of her hair were curled and sharpened, as if they were fish hooks. Definitely a rad hairstyle. “Hello, ma’am,” Mikey greeted, his tone a perfect mix of friendly and polite, “I’m Michael, your server for tonight. Would you like a table for one?” 

As soon as she saw Mikey smiling at her, the woman’s own smile disappeared, and was replaced with a stern, stony-eyed scowl. “I would think that would be obvious,” she sneered.

Mikey winced a bit under her gaze, but managed to stay smiling. “Er, heh, r-right this way, ma’am.”

Mikey sat her down right in the middle of the restaurant, even pulling out the seat for her. Instead, the woman took the other seat at the table and sat herself. “Okayyyy… Um, we’re glad to have you dining with us tonight! So, can I start you off with-?”

“I’ll take your best wine,” the woman told him, snatching the menu right out of Mikey’s hands and opening it up. 

“Oh! Uh, okay, cool! Brb!” The woman gave him another glare. “...Brb, ma’am?” Mikey corrected himself, flashing a sheepish smile before rushing back to the kitchen. 

For being such a chill yet still fairly nice restaurant, Run of the Mill actually had a pretty decent collection of wine. There was a small rack of at least a dozen of them, each with a label written in Yokai characters, making them a complete mystery to Mikey. He hummed, scratching his head. “Wellll, they probably put the _best_ wine on the top shelf, right? Soooo-” He grabbed the top-right bottle, which was some sort of purple wine with pink sparkles in it. Grabbing an empty glasses, he headed back out to the table. “So, have you decided what you’d like to ord-?”

“Salad, with an order of Bruschette Al Pomodoro,” the woman snapped. 

“Oh, sure thing, just-” Setting the bottle down, Mikey got his notepad back out and wrote it down. “Anything else?”

The hook-haired woman stared him down, her gaze as cold as ice. “Let’s see if you lot can make a decent salad and Bruschette first, then I’ll see if it’s worth ordering one of your pizzas. And do try to hurry it along, I don’t have all night.”

“Right…” Geez, what was with this lady? She seemed so nice when she first came in and now- 

“ _Ahem._ ” Mikey stopped, a couple steps away from the table. When he glanced back, the woman raised her still-empty glass.

“Oh! Right, sorry.” He quickly walked back and opened the bottle. “Heh, guess I just forgot.”

“I certainly hope not all the employees here are as ‘forgetful’,” his customer mumbled, making Mikey frowned.

“Sorry…” He poured the glass, and Mikey watched as the woman snatched the glass up, took a sip, and nearly spat the expensive drink out.

“What, you can’t even get a glass of wine right?!” she yelled, slamming the glass back down, hard enough to make Mikey flinch. “Didn’t I say I wanted the best, and you expect me to drink this garbage?!”

The box turtle winced as he started to feel a bit foolish as well as a little nervous. “Sorry, but- But I thought- You didn’t say which wine you wanted and-”

“I told you EXACTLY what I wanted! I said I wanted the best wine, so go get me the best!” The woman huffed, shaking her head. _“Honestly, do places just hire anyone these days...?”_

Head now slightly tucked inside his shell, Mikey muttered another apology and grabbed the bottle, taking both it and the woman’s order back to the kitchen. Thankfully, Chef Victor was already at the front of the kitchen, ready to take more orders. “Here ya go,” he said, giving the bee-yokai the ticket, “And uh, what’s the best wine we’ve got?”

Victor stared at him for a moment. “You are a bit young for that, aren’t you?”

“No no, it’s for a customer,” Mikey explained, “She said she wanted our best wine, and I already messed up that once so…”

“Ah, well, it’s a bit of a personal preference,” Victor buzzed as he thought about it, “For example, I prefer a good blue wine that’s been aged for at least three hundred years. Buuut, if she’s the type that equates ‘best’ to most expensive, that would be our _Decal de Ex Ta’ra_ red wine - middle shelf, second bottle from the left.”

“Thanks, Vic,” Mikey nodded, relaxing a bit. Chef Victor was never wrong! He grabbed the bottle he was told to, took a deep breath, and walked back out onto the dining room floor. A couple other waiters watched him as he walked - some looking sympathetic while others looked curious. He ignored their gazes however, not wanting to get distracted. This was his table, his responsibility, and no way was he going to make another mistake!

Just like last time, the sharp-haired woman only waited a second after Mikey finished pouring to grab the glass. Thankfully, she didn’t seem disgusted by this wine - or at the very least, she didn’t call it garbage after a sip. “So, d’you like it?” Mikey dared to ask, offering his customer another smile. Maybe she was just having a bad night and needed to calm down, and the least he could do was keep trying to be friendly.

The woman huffed, letting the taste of the alcohol rest on her tongue for a few moments. “It’s decent,” she finally replied, “...And just why are you smiling? Do you think it’s funny to mess up orders?”

Mikey frowned. “No, and I wasn’t tryin’ to-” But the woman looked away from him as she took another sip, not interested in his ‘excuses’. So, Mikey let her be and kept himself busy until both her and the owl man’s food was ready. 

At the very least, the owl seemed happy with his service, thanking Mikey for the delicious looking pizza and dessert. He was also relieved that the rest of his tables for the evening were satisfied with his service… though that didn’t stop a slight feeling of dread from filling his plastron as he went back to check on the woman.

Figuring that maybe she just preferred ‘professional’ waiters to friendly ones, Mikey made sure to stand as straight as he could, trying his best to keep his face neutral (as hard as that was, especially once she started glaring at him again) and his tone polite. “Is everything to your liking, ma’am? May I get you anything else?”

“Yes, you _may_ ,” the woman all but sneered, watching with annoyance as Mikey got out his notepad, “Bring me one of your small ‘meat combo’ pizzas, no sausage, ham or gizzards.”

Mikey paused, his pencil mid-word. “...Sooo, you want a pepperoni pizz-”

 _“What did I just say?!”_ the woman hissed, her hair now beginning to lift up slightly, the ends of the strands becoming sharper and sharper. Mikey cowered slightly at that, her hair reminding him of that Medusa lady’s hair from that movie April made them watch one night when they were younger when she was in her ‘Greek Mythology’ phase. At least _this_ lady’s hair wasn’t made out of snakes, though hooks and barbs weren’t exactly pleasant either… “I told you I wanted a meat combo pizza, didn’t I?”

“Right, right,” Mikey quickly nodded, “And you said you wanted no sausage, no ham and no gizzards? Just the pepperoni?”

“Hmph, at least you listened to THAT part.”

“But you know, ma’am, if you just wanted pepperoni, you could just order-”

The woman narrowed her eyes. “Oh, so now you’re trying to tell me what I can and can’t order, are you?” A few strands of hair began to slink onto the table like ensnaring vines, their barbs looking as sharp as razor wires. “Do you have meat combo pizzas on the menu, or not?”

Mikey gulped, managing to tear his gaze away from her intimidating locks. If this were any other situation, he would just get out his ‘fundo or find some other weapon or even just use his punches and kicks to get the lady AND her killer hair to back off, no matter how scared he might have been! 

...But Senor Hueso made it clear he didn’t want him fighting customers (even if there were no rules stopping them from attacking _him_ ) so Mikey didn’t have very many options. He might have been a ninja, but SHE had all the power here. “...Y-Yes, ma’am, we do.”

“Then _bring me what I ordered, boy,_ ” she growled, “And make sure the sauce on it is light, do you hear me? **_Light_** \- or is _that_ too complicated for you to understand too?”

In that moment, Mikey felt his nerves turn to… embarrassment? Shame? Like all the mistakes he had made in the last fifteen minutes or so were the stupidest ones he had ever made… Whatever it was, he didn’t like it. Still, the customer was always right, so he pushed the feeling down and wrote out the rest of the order. “We would be happy to make that for you, no problem at all!,” he told her, “Just give us a few minutes, please.”

As Mikey walked back to the kitchen, Hueso watched him from his post by the Maze. The old skeleton sighed, pitying the turtle. Harionago were notorious for being terrible customers, incredibly rude with tongues as sharp as their hair, and it would seem that Mikey was unlucky enough to have to serve one.

Part of Hueso - the part that remembered the things his son had said about the orange turtle and the part that had been watching Mikey enthusiastically enjoy nearly every part of his job for the better part of two months - wanted to tell Mikey to just focus on his remaining customers and leave the Harionago and her ridiculous demands to someone else. 

...But, at the same time, this _was_ the job Michelangelo wanted, Hueso countered to himself. The young master chef-to-be would have to deal with tough, rude customers at some points if he wanted to remain in the restaurant business. “Besides, passing her off to someone else isn’t exactly fair,” Hueso mumbled, and trying to kick out a Harionago simply wasn’t worth the trouble. So, as guilty (as _cowardly_ ) as it made him feel, Hueso stayed at his post, and hoped for the best - for Mikey’s sake. 

And as Hueso did his usual job, Mikey did his - and avoided eye contact with the woman as much as possible as he walked around her, cleaning up dishes and picking up tips. Not even the owl’s gracious three unicorns was enough to make him smile. Eventually though, Mikey returned to her table, a small solo meat-meat combo in his hand. “Here you are, ma’am,” he said quietly, “We hope you enjoy.”

“We’ll see,” she retorted, poking a slice with her fork, “And, if you’re not too ‘busy’, I need a refill. I certainly hope you don’t keep ALL your tables waiting on drinks, boy. How am I supposed to eat my pizza without a drink?!”

“Right, sorry!” Mikey took her half-empty glass and refilled it, the bottle still on the table, “Won’t happen again, ma’am-”

“UGH!” The woman threw her slice back down onto the plate, the splattering marinara sauce looking more like blood against the fine, pure-white ceramic plate. (Ironic, given the Halloween-themed pizzas he was brainstorming about just a few minutes ago). “I told you I wanted LIGHT sauce! Does this look light to you?! It’s practically dripping out of the damn thing!”

“But- But I told them light sauce, I know I did!” Mikey tried to argue in his defense.

“So what, you’re going to blame _your_ mistakes on the kitchen staff? Because as far as I can tell, they’re the only ones doing their job tonight!” the Harionago snarled as her long hair began to rise again. Other customers were beginning to notice too, whispering amongst themselves. Mikey inwardly groaned - were they starting to think he was a terrible waiter too? “You know, I have half a mind to speak to your manager!”

As it were, Hueso was thinking the same thing. He started to move-

“ _NO!_ No! I can fix this, I promise!” Mikey insisted. He already had a customer think he was screwing everything up, he didn’t want to hear it from Hueso too. He could handle this, he knew he could! Taking the pizza back, he told her, “Don’t worry, I’ll get you a new pizza right away, ma’am! Meat combo with light sauce, perfectly made and cooked! You can count on me!” The orange turtle then dashed back into the kitchen, not even giving the woman (or Hueso, for that matter) a chance to react. 

Once he entered however, he saw that the chef assigned to the pizza station was nowhere in sight. “What?!” he exclaimed, another pinch of panic setting in.

“Oh, Mari’s taking five,” Roger, who had been assigned to pastas for that night, told him, “But she’ll be back soon though, so-”

But Mikey didn’t have ‘soon’, so he washed his hands in record time and got to work, not even taking the time to put on his chef hat. First dough, then sauce - Mikey barely filled his wooden spoon with it before spreading it around the uncooked pizza. Most of it soaked into the dough, leaving not much left on the crust. “If this isn’t ‘light’ enough, then I don’t know what is!”

Next was the cheese, pepperoni, a bit of Run of the Mill’s signature garlic- “Now all I gotta do is cook it!” He turned to the brick oven, and discovered that it already had _three_ pizzas in it, not leaving nearly enough room for even a small pizza.

Mikey groaned and turned on his heel, running out the back portal and ignoring the confused shouts of Roger and Victor.

“Okay, this SHOULD work,” he mumbled, his one-handed grip on the pizza platter tightening as he got out his mystic weapon, “After all, fire is fire!” With steely focus in his eyes and his determination to prove himself once again burning in his chest, Mikey tossed the pizza up into the air as high as he could.

Swiftly, he then tucked the platter under his arm and put both hands on his weapon. “POWER WHIP JITSU!” Mikey started spinning his weapon’s string in a tight circle. The spiky ball of the kusari fundo lit up with flames almost instantly, it’s laughter getting louder with each rotation. As a fire tornado formed under the free falling pizza, the intense waves of heat began to both cook it and keep it from falling any further.

Mikey kept his arms steady, his eyes locked on the pizza, even if he couldn’t see it too well through the flames. “One Manhattan…” _Please don’t burn!_ “Two Manhattans…” _PLEASE don’t burn!_ “Three Manhattans…!” He started to slow his spinning…

As the mystic fire began to shrink and fade, the pizza started to fall back down to Earth - but Mikey was ready for it! Platter back in his hand, he dove forward and caught it just before it could splatter onto the concrete. He dared to take a look at it, and grinned at the results.

Melty cheese, sizzling pepperoni, and dough that was cooked all the way through with just a bit of browning along the edges. “Aww yeah, the perfect cook!” Mikey cheered, “Mystic Jitsu-style!” With not a moment to lose, he ran back into the kitchen - and nearly ran into Chef Victor.

“Just what in the world is going on Michel-?”

“Sorry, gotta go!” Mikey insisted, weaving around the bee and practically leaping out the double doors and into the dining room. The Harionago looked up from her drink, too shocked to even be annoyed. “Got your new pizza right here, ma’am!” he told her, “Lightly sauced, and perfectly cooke-!”

Mikey’s foot suddenly caught the leg of a chair that hadn't been pushed in all the way. He had been in such a hurry, he hadn't even noticed - and while his quick reflexes allowed him to catch himself before he could fall to the floor, the sudden stop was just enough to send the small pizza flying…

...right into the chest of his customer.

The Harionago could only sit there in shocked silence, mouth agape as cheese and oil dripped down her now-ruined dress. “Oh no…” Mikey braced himself, resisting the urge to just go completely inside his shell.

“Ma’am, on the behalf of my waiter, I am SO sorry,” Hueso said as he ran over to the table, “And, we would be happy to comp your meal if you would just-!”

The woman then stood up… and _screeched._ Frankly, it was a wonder her wine glass didn't break. Her hair rose and twisted, the writhing hooks practically BEGGING to dig into Mikey, who wisely took a couple steps back - but a lock of hair grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. If it weren't for the orange sweatbands he kept on under the cuffs of his waiter shirt, Mikey was sure he would've been cut by her hair’s razor sharp barbs.

Several Yokai in the restaurant gasped, a couple of them standing up themselves. “HEY!” Hueso shouted suddenly, actually looking a bit angry now, “You can't just-!”

But the Harionago ignored him, all her ire completely focused on Mikey. “YOU IDIOT! _DO YOU KNOW HOW EXPENSIVE THIS DRESS IS?! Of ALL the things you've screwed up tonight, this is the ABSOLUTE WORST!”_

Mikey could feel his tears beginning to sting his eyes. “I-I’m sorry! I'm sorry! I-I was just-”

_“You were just goofing around like the idiot child you are! Why are you even working here, you have no idea what you're doing! You should be fired this instant! You completely ruined my dinner AND my evening! What kind of idiot can't even wait tables?! HOW ARE YOU SO INCOMPETENT?!”_

Mikey choked back a sob, unsure what else to do. “That is enough!” Hueso shouted, putting a hand on Mikey’s arm, “You need to let him go, right-!” The woman opened her mouth to scream back at the skeleton, but all three of them fell silent when a sudden shout from the front entrance caught their attention.

“OOF!” Raph landed fairly hard on the floor, and sighed as he felt the familiar sandstone underneath him. “Good, made it,” he mumbled, ignoring his aches. Now he just had to find-

“Raph?”

Raph looked up at his brother’s voice, and nearly saw red. His youngest brother crying, some lady with crazy hair and a messy dress looking shocked and pissed off, her thorny hair gripping Mikey’s wrist so tightly that not only was Raph able to see the small tears now in his brother’s shirt sleeve, but the pain in his eyes as well.

Immediately, Raph was on his feet. “HEY! Get away from him!”

“Raph-!” Mikey started to say, but was cut off by the woman groaning.

“Oh great, another idiot I have to deal with,” she grumbled, more of her hair rising while Hueso began to panic a bit. The situation was bad enough, the last thing he needed was a brawl in his restaurant!

But Raph didn't seem too concerned or intimidated, his fists tight and ready to fight! “Yeah you're gonna have to deal with me, an’ if you don't let my brother go and apologize, then I'm gonna-!”

The mystic wall behind him began to shimmer, and just as Raph was turning to see who was coming in from behind him, several silverfish leapt through the portal entrance. A couple of them jumped onto Raph’s shell, eager to get to the morsels they had been chasing after. Unfortunately, most of them noticed all the other bits of delicious food throughout the pizzeria and quickly decided that pizza was a MUCH better prize!

The customers and other waiters quickly fled, either ducking under their tables while their food was devoured, while others ran to hide in the restrooms. One particularly daring silverfish saw all the ruined pizza on the Harionago’s dress, and just tackled the woman for it, making her scream. Mikey felt a little bad for her - silverfish bites weren't pretty - but he was relieved when her hair loosened enough for him to pull his wrist out of her grip.

“You led mutant silverfish to my restaurant?!” Hueso cried, gripping the sides of his fedora.

Raph just gave a sheepish grin as he tried to grab the silverfish that were still trying to dig into the pouch on his belt. “I kinda thought... they'd be too dumb to figure out how to use the entrance?”

_“GET THEM OUT OF HERE!”_

“What do you think I'm tryin’ to do?!” Raph gritted his teeth as he felt one of the silverfish give his shell another deep scratch with their claws. He managed to grab the other one, but cried out when it bit his thumb. Without thinking, he punched it, and groaned at his obvious mistake a second later when the creature divided into two. 

Raph let out a small roar of frustration as he tried to grab them, but the bugs were just too quick, avoiding his hands and jumping onto his face. He yelled again as he tried to shake the creatures off him - but the _whoosh_ of a flame and the clear voice of his brother caught his attention.

“Raph, toss ‘em!” Mikey told him, his eyes free of tears, even if the usual carefree smile he had during battles was still missing. Still, Mikey was an expert at bouncing back, and this was still his restaurant - AND his brother. No way was he sitting out this fight.

Raph smiled and nodded. Managing to grab the two silverfish on his face, he tossed them into the air before they could retaliate. Mikey flung the ball of his ‘fundo forward, it's aim true as it wrapped around the silverfish. “Got ‘em!”

“And I've-” Raph leaned through the entry portal again, grabbing a trash can from the alley just outside, “-got THIS!”

“Then go long, bro!” Mikey cracked the mystic string of his weapon, it quickly loosening and sending the screeching silverfish flying towards his big brother, who happily caught the silverfish with ease. Mikey did this over and over, lassoing up one silverfish after another. For the ones that ran or tried to skitter into the kitchen, Hueso was there to stop their escape, grabbing and tossing them towards Raph. A couple other waiters joined in, making the skeleton smile a little.

With there being less danger now, the customers began to emerge from their hiding spots, and even cheered a little whenever another bug made it into the trash can. By the time the entire restaurant - minimally damaged, other than splattered food and small claw marks on the tables - was cleared, all of their guests were clapping for a job well done.

“Is that all of them?” Mikey asked as he walked over to Raph, his weapon still out, just in case.

Raph opened his mouth to answer, but the cry of the silverfish that was still gripping his shell interrupted him. “Nope,” Mikey said simply, giving the silverfish a quick _*bonk*_ chop on the head, stunning it just enough for his brother to grab it. Raph then chucked the full can back through the portal, figuring the bugs would either run off or just be too disoriented and not desperate enough to try again.

Mikey sighed in relief, nearly smiling at a fight well fought. Although, once he felt the presence of a VERY angry figure behind him, it didn't last.

“In all my years,” the Harionago slowly began, “I have NEVER received such awful, such disastrous, such- such INCOMPETENT service!” Mikey whimpered while Raph got his fists ready as they both watched the woman’s sharp strands begin to aim themselves at the two of them. “And if this restaurant has ANY sense at all-!”

“I assure you, ma’am,” Hueso suddenly said, stepping in-between them, “I will do what needs to be done.” 

Mikey's eyes widened in fear while the woman smirked. “Good. Honestly if I were you, I would have fired the boy on his first day!”

“Oh no no no, you misunderstand, ma’am,” Hueso continued as he gave the Harionago an unintimidated look, “I am going to do what I should have done the moment you started abusing my employee: I am going to ask you to leave, _and_ if you would please, pay your bill before you go.”

“WHAT?!” The woman screeched, “But that _moron_ threw my food at me, and that was after he screwed it up! And then his brutish brother brought giant bugs into the restaurant to attack me! I'm not paying for such a terrible experience!” 

Raph growled at the insults she kept flinging at his brother, but Hueso remained calm. “The pizza was an accident, one that Mikey has already apologized for. He also worked above and beyond to try and satisfy your ridiculous demands, so as far as I am concerned, the only one who is responsible for your terrible evening is you. So, I repeat myself, please leave my restaurant. **Now.”**

Too angry to say another word, the Harionago sent her razor sharp hair after him. But Hueso was prepared, and as his head lit up with a bright green flame, his ribcage busted through his jacket and shirt, catching the hair before it could even try to scratch his bones and lifting the woman up about a foot into the air. His green flames spread across his ribs, singing and stiffening her hair to keep her from properly using it against them. 

The Harionago gasped at the action. “Y-You-!” she snarled as she uselessly struggled, “This is assault! I’ll get the police in here! I’LL HAVE YOUR SKULL FOR THIS!”

“Oh, my apologies, _ma’am_ ,” Hueso replied sarcastically, “But I am afraid the Hidden City police do not have as much jurisdiction up here as they do down there. _Buuuut,_ if they DID come here, I would be sure to tell them how _you_ physically assaulted and emotionally abused my volunteer employee - who also just so happens to be a _minor.”_ The Harionago’s pale face became even paler. She stopped struggling, though she did give the skeleton on last ineffective death glare. 

“Now please, enjoy the rest of your evening, and NEVER come back again!” With that, Hueso tossed her through the portal, effectively kicking her out. The two turtle teens finally relaxed while the rest of the diners cheered - not that Hueso could enjoy it too much, unfortunately. Instead, he tsk’d at the sorry state of his outfit, now that his ribcage was back to its proper size. “I am definitely going to have to stop by my tailor’s tomorrow…”

“...Um, Senor Hueso?” Mikey asked, walking up to him.

Seeing the worry still on the young turtle’s face as clear as night, Hueso simply placed a gentle, firm hand on his shoulder. “My office is unlocked, why don’t you go take a break?” He glanced up at Raph, who winced slightly, as if he was expecting to get kicked out next. “...You should both go take a break.”

The two brothers exchanged a look. Raph offered Mikey an encouraging smile while Hueso gave his shoulder one last pat before walking away. All the other waiters just started cleaning up and getting customers what they needed to clean themselves up. So, with only a little bit of reluctance, Mikey led the way to Hueso’s office.

There weren’t exactly a lot of chairs in the skeleton’s office, and it didn’t seem right to just sit at (or on) Hueso’s desk, so they just took a seat on the floor. Neither one of them started talking, but after about a minute of silence, Raph decided to break the ice. “Uh, here…”

Mikey glanced over at Raph’s outstretched hand. In it were two smooshed and crumbling tea cakes. “This is what the silverfish were after,” Raph explained, “I was tryin’ to bring you a snack but, I guess it didn’t really work out…”

“...Thanks,” Mikey mumbled, taking one pile of crumbled cake while silently offering Raph the other. Raph nodded, dumping the entire ‘cake’ into his mouth while Mikey ate his in small nibbles. Mikey did still perk up slightly at the orange flavoring though, which made the whole ordeal worth it in Raph’s mind.

“...So, you okay?” Mikey glanced away again, and Raph frowned. “Right, sorry. I know you don’t like me checkin’ up on you and bein’ all protective. I just-“

“That’s not it.”

Raph blinked, tilting his head a bit. He didn’t say anything though, he just waited for his little brother to continue.

Mikey sniffled slightly, and scowled at himself for crying again. “I just… this is my job. I- I should’ve been able to handle it myself without screwing it up or getting that upset. But… But when that pizza hit her… When she started yellin’ at me…” He hugged his arms, looking embarrassed and ashamed at the idea of his brother’s prediction being true, yet still being unable to deny said truth. “All I wanted was you guys… It was supposed to be my customer, MY situation and my mistakes that I had to handle and deal with… and I still wanted you guys there to help me and to back me up and… an’ to make me feel better...”

Raph’s gaze softened. Stretching out his arm, he pulled Mikey in for a one-armed hug. “Just ‘cause you wanted us there this time doesn’t mean you can’t handle most things yourself, Mikey. Heh, you should know that better than anyone else… And there’s nothin’ wrong with wanting backup sometimes. I know I probably would’ve wanted it too, if some lady with killer hair was screamin’ at me. Anyone would want help in that kind of situation, and wantin’ backup doesn’t make you a baby or a little kid or whatever… Not to me it doesn’t.”

Mikey didn’t say anything, though he did scoot a bit closer to his brother, resting his head on his shoulder. Raph smiled, and gently patted his shell. They sat like that for a bit, Raph letting Mikey rest a little before eventually taking a chance. “So… Since we’re here, think we can actually talk? You know… About a couple weeks ago?”

Mikey groaned, and squirmed out of the snapper’s grip. “Do we HAVE to?” Raph just gave him one of his ‘big bro says so’ looks. “Fine,” Mikey huffed, “Go ahead then, tell me all about how even though you’re sorry about our fight, you’ve still got all these reasons why you always have to be _so_ protective of me and why I’ve just gotta deal with that.”

Raph frowned. “Come on, I wasn’t gonna say that, Mike-”

“Then what _did_ you want to say, hm?”

“I was just gonna try to explain my side of things-”

“So that WAS what you were gonna say!”

“Will you stop doing that?! I can’t say what I’m gonna say if you’re just gonna keep puttin’ words in my mouth!” Raph snapped. 

Mikey met his scowl without flinching, his nerves still a bit raw. He’d already been yelled at once that night, and he really didn’t want to deal with it again. But Raph wasn’t going to drop it, so fine. Besides, just cause Raph wanted to talk didn’t mean Mikey had to listen. “You can say whatever you want, Raph,” he mumbled, already turning away, “It’s not gonna change how you actually feel, even if you won’t say it. Face it, you’re always gonna think of me as a dumb, kid brother-”

Raph suddenly let out a frustrated shout, just as he usually did whenever he was worked up or when he was trying to figure out the right words to say. Or, in this case, it was both. “I DON’T THINK OF YOU THAT WAY AT ALL, MIKEY!” 

He looked his orange brother right in the eyes, practically begging him to believe him. “You may think I do, but I don’t, Michael! ‘Cause I _know_ how amazing you are! You’re the best acrobat in the family! You’re always thinkin’ outside of the box, and you’re just filled with talent! You’re a great fighter, just as strong as any of us, and a great cook and artist and DJ and whatever else you wanna be! And I don’t got any doubts that you’re just gonna keep being amazing and getting more and more amazing! Okay?! And-!” 

Raph stopped himself, his eyes getting softer. “And… And I should’ve done a better job of lettin’ you know that I think all those things about you…”

Mikey stared at Raph for several seconds, listening to his red brother’s pants and the faint sounds from beyond Hueso’s office. “...If you really believe all those things,” Mikey slowly started to say, “Then why can’t you just trust me? I mean, _completely_ trust me. Not just on group missions, but solo missions too.”

The snapper groaned. “I dunno, I just- ...I guess it’s just that, even though I can see what you are… I still remember what you used to be? I still… You’re still my little brother- and I know that’s not what you wanna hear, but I can’t help it. I’ve always been the oldest… It’s all I’ve known, you know? And…” Raph’s fists tightened, but he pushed himself to keep going. 

“And, it’s easier to be the big brother when we’re all together… We all fight but, but I’m the one who’s able to take the biggest blows, and block the biggest attacks. I’m the one who’s supposed to protect you all… The one that’s… that’s supposed to keep you from gettin’ thrown off buildings, and then catch you when you do.”

“...” Mikey still felt plenty of frustration towards Raph, but in that moment, he didn’t dare show it. “Raph…”

“And I know that you want me to trust you, and I do! I… I really do, and I never should’a acted like I didn’t. It’s just… I dunno, everyone and everything else I don’t trust? I just… I just feel like I _have_ to be there, just in case. That me bein’ there will somehow make the things that go wrong not so bad, and that… that at the very least, you guys will be safe.” 

Raph brought his knees up to his chest, holding him close just like he did when he was little. Back before he was proud of being big and just wanted to be small like his siblings, and back before he knew just what it meant to be the biggest and strongest. “I just wanna make sure that you’re gonna be okay…”

Mikey leaned on him again, nuzzling his shoulder slightly. “...Donnie may be the softshell and I may be a scaredycat sometimes, but you really are the softie of the family,” Mikey told him. Raph just huffed, though couldn't really deny it. “...For what it’s worth, you’re a pretty great big brother, but… I can take the big hits too, you know? You just got finished saying how strong I am, I’m not gonna break. I’ll be okay, even after dealing with something like a crazy, sharp-haired customer...”

Mikey then slightly flicked Raph in the side of the head. “And I don’t want you breakin’ for me either. None of us do.”

“Hmph, yeah, I know,” Raph nodded, letting out a small sigh as he did so, “I’m… I’m gonna try to be better, okay? I’ll still probably worry and ask you if you’re okay or if you need my help but… But I promise to _trust_ you. To trust that you can handle yourself most of the time, that you know what you’re doing, and that you’ll ask for help when YOU need it and not when I think you need it. Okay?” He gave his brother a firm look, with not even a hint of hesitation or uncertainty. “I promise, Michelangelo.”

Mikey smiled widely, knowing in his heart just how genuine Raph was being. Turning a bit, he then wrapped both his arms around his brother in red, who happily did the same in return. “Thanks, Raph… Love you.”

“Love you too...”

After a few seconds, there was a knock at the door, and Hueso poked his head in. “Everything alright?” he asked.

“Yeah, it’s all good,” Raph answered, nodding. 

Mikey however, started to stand up. “Senor Hueso… I’m sor-!”

The skeleton raised a hand, stopping him. “There is no need. Frankly, _I_ am the one who should apologize,” Hueso told him, “Harionago are notorious for being terrible customers, and while dealing with rude and unruly customers is part of the job, you did not deserve to be treated like that. I should have stepped in much sooner than I did, and I am sorry.” Hueso then smiled. “And, as I far as I am concerned, you are an asset here at Run of the Mill. Your waiting and cooking skills are both very impressive, and I am sure they will only keep improving as you continue to work here - that is, as long as you want to still work here.”

Mikey stared at him, his mouth going from slightly agape to a bright, happy grin. Rushing to his feet, he launched himself forward and hugged Hueso tightly. Raph chuckled at the sight, and at the awkward expression on the skeleton’s face as he patted Mikey’s shell. “Yes, yes, you are welcome.”

“...Still, sorry that you had to throw her out before she could pay.”

“Eh, once she became that angry I was not expecting her to, I only mentioned it to rub salt in the wound, as it were,” Hueso shrugged, “So, are you ready to come help clean up?”

“Sure thing!” Mikey told him, letting him go. However, just before stepping out of the office, he stopped and looked at Raph. “...I’ve got about an hour and a half left in my shift. You wanna walk home together?”

Raph smiled back at him. “Can’t think of anything else I’d rather do.” 

So, that’s what they did. Raph sat at a table and munched on free bread while Mikey worked. He watched as his brother diligently cleaned, only stopping to help a customer or quickly chat with a co-worker, who almost always seemed happy to speak with him or laugh at a jokey comment, even if just for a moment. Mikey had always been pretty good at lifting the mood or making someone smile, and that talent seemed to transfer to his job perfectly. The fact that he just looked so happy as he worked probably helped too. 

“Heh, no wonder the guy makes tips like crazy,” Raph mumbled as he grabbed another breadstick, not minding that his slow eating pace caused it to now be cold.

Soon enough, the clock struck the proper time and Mikey was allowed to leave. He didn't bother changing out of his waiter uniform, not wanting to make Raph wait any longer. So, the two turtles walked through the mystic wall, and were relieved to see no silverfish waiting for them on the other side. 

Mikey took a moment to stretch, a satisfied yawn escaping past his lips. Even after dealing with the horrible Harionago, he still felt pretty okay, just as he said he would - even if he had admittedly needed a bit of help. It was a wonder what a little extra support and some hugs could do to fix what could’ve been a bad night. 

“...You really like workin’ here, huh?” Raph commented. Frankly, if not even that incident could turn the box turtle off from it, nothing would. 

Mikey nodded enthusiastically. “Yep, sure do! Maybe it’s not always a good time, but…” His smile softened, becoming a bit more strained. “But, it’s still mine…”

Raph waited for him to continue. When Mikey didn’t, Raph decided to say something instead. “I already talked a lot tonight, and I’m not sayin’ that you have talk now too. I’m just sayin’, it’s my turn to listen.” 

Mikey opened his mouth to try and argue and insist that he had nothing to talk about, but nothing came out. After all that happened that night, he didn’t want to keep lying or dancing around the truth, even if said truth was still hard to say. “I guess there is one thing,” he admitted. 

“Raph’s all ears. Or, you know, those weird ear-slit things we have. Raph’s all ear-slits.”

Mikey giggled slightly. “Good to hear…” He pulled on his sleeves a bit, eyes focused on the bricks the built up the alley while Raph patiently waited. “Okay, so… I love bein’ a ninja. It's awesome, and so much fun! And I love you guys so, SO much. I love being a Mad Dog and a Jitsu so, so don't think that I don't love it, okay?”

Raph raised an eyebrow. “Why do you sound like you're about to ‘break up’ with our family?” he asked, more confused than upset.

“I'm not really! But, also kinda?” Mikey groaned. Why did this have to be so hard? “I love my life the way it is… But I also love how it's changed, and what it could eventually be. I love havin’ options, you know?” 

No surprise there, Raph thought to himself. As far back as Mikey could remember, Mikey was always exploring new interests and hobbies, never limiting himself to just one type of art or one style. He had always lived that way, so why would he stop now?

Mikey smiled a little to himself. “I… I love working as a chef, and a waiter. I love making people happy with my food, and using my cooking to make moments special! You have no idea just how GOOD that feels! And I love learning new things while I work, and meeting new friends that are all mine. I love bein’ seen for my skills and…” He then winced slightly, only looking over at Raph for a split second. “I like not always having to be part of a color-coordinated set… I like being able to do my own thing, and to BE my own thing…” He wanted that freedom so, SO badly… To have what Michi and Hueso and all the chefs he admired had, if only part-time.

“I wanna keep cooking professionally, learning new things and meeting other chefs and other Yokai who like to eat my food, and make friends with all of them! And, and I know I probably won't be able to do it until I'm older but, I wanna travel some too! There's a lot of different food and art and inspiration outside of the Big Apple - outside of the Hidden City - and I am just SO ready to see it!” Mikey chuckled slightly. “Who knows? I may end up opening my own place somewhere, if I'm good enough or lucky enough…” 

His smile faded, and he finally looked back up at Raph, whose expression hadn't really changed. “It's just an idea… But it's one I can't really try out without, you know… Takin’ a break from the ninja thing and leaving for a little while. A-After Draxum and the Foot Jerks go down, of course. Can't exactly see the world if it's being destroyed by an evil five hundred year old demon. So, yeah…”

As Mikey held his breath and waited for the snapper’s reaction, all Raph could really think was… Why did Mikey look so unsure about all this? Mikey was NEVER unsure when it came to his various passions and crafts, even if he ended up only being into them for a short while. His orange brother always just dove right in, never worrying if he would be good at them or even how much fun he would have, he would just _start_. So why was he suddenly being so hesitant and afraid now? Why-?

And then it hit Raph like a Power Punch Jitsu to the face.

Mikey wasn’t uncertain of himself and his choices… He was uncertain of _Raph’s reaction_ , and of the reactions from the rest of their family.

With his promise still ringing in his ear-slits, Raph stepped forward and placed a hand on Mikey’s head, smiling as he patted it. “Heh, well, if you're the one who’s planning on doin’ all that… Then it's sure to turn out pretty amazing.”

Mikey's eyes widened, shining a bit. “And... you're really okay with that?”

“Yep,” Raph said simply, “Wouldn't say I was if I wasn't.”

His orange brother grinned. “That's true… You are a pretty terrible liar.”

“Heyyy.” Raph pulled Mikey in for a noogie, making him squeal as he tried to squirm out of the snapper’s grip.

“Come on, get off you jerk!” Mikey laughed, retaliating with a few harmless punches to Raph’s side. Raph just chuckled, keeping him pinned under his armpit for just a bit longer before finally letting him go. Though Mikey didn't go very far, instead deciding to give his big bro another hug. “Thanks, Raphie…”

“Yeah, sure thing, little man…” Truth be told, the idea of Mikey leaving and going who knows where and running into who knows what wasn't a completely pleasant one. Frankly, Raph didn't want any of his family leaving, even if it was just temporary. But deep down, he knew even family couldn't last... Mikey had his dreams, April had a journalism degree to earn in a few years, he was sure Donnie and Leo had things they wanted to do even if they didn't know what those things were yet, and his pop was… getting up there in years. Things would eventually change, whether Raph liked it or not.

...But, at the very least, seeing how Mikey had been while cooking and serving - seeing just how naturally he fit into a restaurant setting and how happy it made him… That made the idea a bit easier to accept. Maybe even a lot easier to accept. If it made Mikey happy, then Raph wasn't going to let himself or anyone else stand in the way of it. “Just try to remember to call and write, even after you become a world famous underground chef, got it?”

Mikey giggled again. “I will, promise.” Like he had said, he loved being part of his family just as much as he loved being his own person, and not even new dreams could change that. No way could he stay away from his family forever.

With the wind picking up, the two of them decided to finally start walking home. At some point, Mikey climbed up onto Raph’s shell and clung to his shoulder, something he hadn't done in a while. Raph hadn't invited him up there and Mikey hadn't asked, but neither of them said a word. They simply enjoyed each other's company.

He still had his Halloween recipes to work on, plus another shift in about twelve hours, but even so- “You wanna hang out a little when we get home?”

“Yeah, that sounds great,” Raph smiled, “We could chill and do some gaming, or if you wanted to we could get Buddy to play a round of Capture the Bandana with us.”

Mikey grinned at that. “Oh man, I haven't played that in FOREVER!” His smile became a bit more sheepish when he realized just how much training time he had missed out on, being so focused on work and his home projects. So much for his plan of keeping his work time and ninja training time balanced. “Man, I am _so_ out of practice… It's a wonder I was able to outrun those cops, or fight that mutant deer lady a couple weeks ago, or catch all those silverfish tonight-”

“Hold up,” Raph interrupted, stopping his feet, “Did you just say ‘outrun those cops’?”

Mikey stiffened. “Ummmmm…”

_“Miiiike…”_

“...Would it help if I said they were Hidden City cops and not human ones?”

Raph sputtered, unable to even reply to that. Taking advantage of his red brother’s stunned state, Mikey jumped off his shell and started running, still grinning to himself. “Race ya back home, Raph! Last one there’s got a stinky shell!”

“MIKEYYYY!”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here it is, the final chapter!! ^v^ Thank you to everyone who's read this story and left either a kudos or a comment - special shoutout to Halloween-nut and Guide-to-the-Galaxy for leaving feedback on nearly every chapter!
> 
> I don't write long, multi-chapter stories very often, usually just sticking with oneshots and flash fiction, so this Big Bang Project was really good practice, and I'm so proud of how it turned out and people's reactions to it ^v^ So yeah, thank you all again, and I hope you enjoy the ending of this fic!

“Here we are. Please look over our menus, and one of our waiters will be with you shortly.” The small family thanked her, and Fenella’s true face smiled back at them as she walked back over to the maitre ‘d podium. 

Fenella had worked at Run of the Mill long enough to know that there really was no point in trying to predict how they’d do on holiday nights. Some holidays it felt like they could barely get customers through the door, often closing up early. Other holidays, it seemed like no one on the surface wanted to cook and they’d end up having a line of disguised yokai outside for most of the night.

However, with the Halloween dishes and the special One Night Only table service that they were advertising, it was no surprise to Fenella that their dinner rush was starting early. “Definitely going to be a busy night,” she mumbled as she looked over the few reservations they had written down. Most of their customers that night would be walk-ins, so she would have to be careful of how many she sat down, lest she make a rookie mistake and force a table that had called ahead to wait. 

“Excuse me,” said a voice with an accent that reminded Fenella of the pizzeria’s own head chef. She looked up with her fake face, then turned herself slightly so she could look at them with her real face. 

Standing in front of her was another family of four. The three turtle sons were all dressed in pretty garish and unique costumes: A stylish purple and silver steampunk cowboy with a hat and goggles combo, a pretty ferocious looking wrestler with a red leotard and a black bear-esque kabuki mask, and a fairly futuristic-looking blue and pink unicorn spaceman, complete with a glitter covered mullet-mane. 

As silly as they might have been, the costumes certainly fit their teenage personalities well. As for their rat father, he had simply settled for sunglasses and one of his nicer kimonos, not having a problem with dressing up but still not wanting to draw attention to himself (or reveal certain secrets to the Yokai public).

“...So, I take it you’re Mikey’s family?” Fenella said, smiling at them all. 

“How’d you guess?” Raph asked, lifting up his mask.

“Oh, just a feeling,” Fenella replied as she grabbed four menus. She then led them to a table usually meant for five, figuring that the turtle in red could use some extra room.

“Hey guys!” April waved, she and Sunita already sitting at a table a few feet away.

“Heyyy, glad you two could make it,” Leo nodded, taking off his unicorn head as the rest of his family waved back.

“Heh, believe me, there was no way I was missing this,” April grinned, flashing her fake vampire teeth at her family. Her black and silver Vampire Queen plastic crown also shimmered slightly in the light of the pizzeria’s candles. 

“And we’re still going to try and go trick or treating after this, right?” Sunita asked excitedly, already in her human disguise. Truth be told, she could have probably passed her true form off as a high quality Halloween costume, but she didn’t want to do her first holiday with her surface friends halfway. Besides, getting to wear matching Halloween costumes with her girlfriend was a pretty great perk too - she absolutely _loved_ her zombie princess costume, her pink dress adorned with frills, rips and fake bloodstains. 

Raph grinned back at her, lifting up the candy-specific tote bag he had brought with him. “You know it!”

“Ahhh, this is going to be so much fun! You guys look great by the way! Soooo cool~!”

“We know,” Donnie smirked, brushing his knuckles on his silver sheriff’s badge, “Buuuut, thank you for the compliment.” 

“And you guys look great too,” Leo grinned, smirking a little as he added, “Your spooky majesties.” The girls chuckled, thanking him. 

“Ex _-cuse_ me, gentleturtles and gentle-ratman.”

His family looked up at Mikey, all of them smirking a little at the orange turtle’s outfit. He couldn’t wear a costume persay, but he had dyed his chef’s hat orange and made it look like a pumpkin with a toothy jack-o-lantern face. He had also taken some white gel paint to a black apron, drawing a picture of a skeleton chef and writing ‘Bone Appetite!’ on it.

“I thought you said you were cooking tonight, Orange?” Splinter questioned, “Did they reassign you to serving?”

“No, I’m still working in the kitchen tonight, don’t worry. I just wanted to come out and make a quick recommendation to you guys. 'Cause if you ask me, you should DEFINITELY get one of our Halloween specials.”

Curious now, his brothers and father opened up their menus. As Mikey waited for their reactions, he took an extra moment to admire the special centerpiece on the table. Hueso Jr. had showed it and the others he had made for the restaurant’s holiday dinner service to Mikey a couple hours earlier when he had arrived for his shift. It was an arrangement of yellow chrysanthemums and smaller red and green flowers that were somewhat arranged together to look like a pizza. Each centerpiece also had a unique adornment like a couple autumn leaves, fake glitter-covered cobwebs or a posed plastic skeleton, as well as a touch of mystic light that made the petals of the flowers radiate with a warm light without them catching fire. 

“I heard my father talking about wanting special table centerpieces for Halloween,” Junior had explained, “And I just decided to give it a try, so… yeah. It was actually a bit like working on a model, but more flowery. Still, it was pretty fun!” 

“Whoaaaa, so cool!” Mikey had exclaimed in return, “I really like the colors and props you used too! And how you made ‘em glow? Yeah, these are SO dope!” Junior blushed slightly but had still smiled as he thanked Mikey for the compliments (even if he didn’t quite understand that last one. What did 'dope' mean?). At the time, Junior didn’t mention anything about wanting to possibly make centerpieces or flower arrangements for a living, or even whether or not he wanted to do it for the next holiday, and in Mikey’s opinion, that was just fine. 

“Ah, here we are,” Donnie said, bringing his orange brother’s attention back to the present, “Let’s see… ‘Halloween Night Specials: Cheesy-spiderweb spaghetti with mini-meatball ‘spider eggs’, pumpkin dessert pizza, and… Mini Squid Ink pizza-a-la-flambe, included with a special tableside service, courtesy of our volunteer Junior Chef Mikey’? ...Michael, PLEASE tell me you’re not going to pour alcohol over perfectly good pizza and light them on fire.”

Mikey just grinned. “Guess you’ll just have to order it and see for yourself~” With that, he practically danced back into the kitchen, his clear excitement still being an understatement for how he was feeling.

“...Well, that’s enough to convince me,” Raph smiled, setting his menu down.

“Same here,” Leo smirked. Squid ink pizza did admittedly sound strange, but if it was as good as the Super Creepy Supreme, then he was down for a more unusual flavor. 

Donnie sighed slightly, setting his menu down as well. “I suppose I’ll order it too,” he said, his scientific curiosity getting the better of him. So, when the waiter stopped at their table, all three turtles ordered the same thing. As for Splinter, he settled for an order of manicotti, deciding to indulge in his rat side’s love of cheese. 

“Your manicotti will take a bit of extra time to cook, sir,” the waiter told Splinter, “But Junior Chef Mikey will be out here shortly to cook your orders of mini pizzas.” The boys and Splinter nodded as they thanked their server, not minding the small wait but still excited about just what this ‘special’ Mikey had cooking up was all about. 

Once the waiter dropped off the order, Mikey quickly began filling his cart with all his prep materials. The chilled dough he had portioned out and flattened by himself, the pot of tomato and squid ink sauce that he had spent nearly half an hour perfecting, his full bag of hand-shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese mix, and finally all the toppings he would need. 

“Good luck out there, kiddo,” he heard Roger yell from his pasta station, knowing very well that his youngest co-worker was going to cook his heart our no matter what, just like he always did.

“You have the skills, but don’t forget to enjoy yourself and have fun as well!” Banji added, lifting a flour covered paw to wave at him.

Mikey chuckled, waving back at the two-tailed cat. “No worries there!” he replied. This was DEFINITELY going to be fun! As he headed towards the kitchen’s exit, Victor buzzed ahead of him and held open one of the doors, a small look of quiet pride and approval in his eyes. Mikey smiled at him, giving him a thankful nod as he walked by. On the other side of the double doors, Hueso was standing there, looking a bit more concerned than the other chefs.

“Now… You are SURE you have this, ah, ‘cooking method’ perfected?” the skeleton asked.

“Yep!” Mikey replied confidently, “I’ve been practicing it in my room for the past three days, so I promise you’ve got nothing to worry about! This tableside service is gonna be LIT! ...Literally!”

Hueso sighed, still obviously a bit worried but deciding to give him the benefit of the doubt. “Just make sure my ceiling is not ‘lit’ at any point tonight, understand?”

“Copy that!” Mikey gave him a thumbs up as he rolled along with his cart. By this point, most of the tables had been filled, and while a good chunk of their current customers were still looking at their menus and trying to decide what to order, all eyes were quickly set on Mikey. Even April and Sunita, who were already in the middle of eating their pizza, paused to watch the spectacle that was about to unfold. 

“Okayyy so, three orders of the mini pizzas, correct?” Mikey asked his brothers once he was stopped in front of the table, still playing the ‘professional’ act, “Okay… Let’s get started!”

Quickly, he took out six small circles of dough - two for each of his customers/brothers - presenting them to his family as he lightly dusting them with a bit of salt and garlic. Then, after giving his clean ladle a bit of a twirl, he dipped it into his pot and poured the perfect amount of squid ink and tomato sauce onto each pizza, not spilling a drop. Mikey grinned to himself as he placed the ladle back into a pot. “And now it’s time for the razz-ma-tazz!”

He began adding the toppings, sprinkling the bright orange and white cheese combo with flair as he made ‘kung fu’ noises. The pepperoni was thrown onto the pizzas like they were throwing stars. This was followed by olives that being carefully placed on top of the pepperoni slices, causing the two of them together to almost look like eyeballs. Lastly, Mikey added the red peppers, some extra seasoning, and just a couple small tentacles on each pizza for some added meat and texture. 

No one in his family couldn’t take their eyes off the show - heck, no one in the restaurant could! The process was both entertaining and impressive, with just how precise the young orange-masked chef was. Really, the only question now was how he was supposed to cook the pizzas, given that there was no mini stove or pizza oven on the cart. 

Suddenly, Mikey pulled a wooden pizza spatula out from behind himself. Without a word, he slid it under all six mini pizzas and flung them up into the air. The entire restaurant gasped - and they became even more shocked when he set down his spatula and got out his kusari fundo.

“POWER WHIP JITSU!” Within just a few tight rotations of his ‘fundo, a small fire tornado formed under the pizzas, engulfing them in heat before they could fall any further. His brothers had seen Mikey make fire tornados before, though none this small and precise.

After only three seconds, Mikey slowed the ball and sting of his weapon, dispelling the fire. In the same motion, he grabbed a clean platter from his cart. “And, gotcha!” he grinned as he caught all six perfectly-cooked mini pizzas. With a bit of a spin, he placed the platter on the table, making sure to mind the centerpiece. “Ta-daaa!”

The applause was just _thunderous._ Everyone in the restaurant, including Senor Hueso and the waiters and chefs that had stopped their own work to watch, was clapping. His brothers even stood up as they applauded and cheered while Splinter just smiled, both impressed with his youngest’s skills and very, VERY proud. 

“Dude that was just AMAZING!” Leo told him.

“You didn’t tell us you were gonna use your _mystic weapon_ to cook pizza!” Raph added, “I mean - cool doesn’t even BEGIN to describe what that just was!”

Donnie nodded in agreement. “Truly a job very well done, brother, and definitely worthy of being called a special.”

Mikey grinned at them. “D’awww, thanks guys! Now come on, try a bite! I wanna know what you think!”

The turtles didn’t need to be asked twice. Though, Leo and Donnie did take the time to cut their mini pizzas while Raph just bit into the side of his. “Oh man, that is GOOD!” he shouted, already going in for another bite. The twins quickly agreed, pointing out how the usual savory pizza flavors they loved matched perfectly with the more robust and sea-like flavors of the squid ink and tentacles. 

“Plus, it’s weird to say, but mystic fire really does make a difference,” Leo added. His mind flashed back to the Maze of Death, remembering the living mystic-pizza oven within it that helped cooked pizzas with its living utensil co-workers. Huh… Maybe THAT was what made it the World’s Greatest Pizza.

Mikey grinned, and hugged each of his brothers as he thanked them for their kind words, not caring if he’d have to wash his hands again afterwards. Though, he would have to do so quickly - he could already hear other customers ordering the table-side special. “It sounds like you will be busy tonight, Orange,” Splinter commented.

“Yep!” Mikey nodded, “And that’s just fine with me!” As far as he was concerned, the more people who wanted to eat his food, the better.

Splinter hummed, patting his son’s shell. “I am _very_ proud of you, Mikey.”

“We all are,” Raph added, with Donnie and Leo agreeing, “You really are amazing, and this is definitely the _perfect_ job for you.” “No doubt about that!” “Couldn’t have said it better myself.”

Mikey looked at them all with teary eyes, smiling so widely that it was a wonder his cheeks didn’t start hurting. He wanted to hug them all again and tell them how much he loved them, but tableside service orders were beginning to pile up, so for now he just settled for “Thanks, guys.”

Within about half an hour of cooking for various tables (though for many customers, the thrill of his fire tornadoes still hadn’t been lost), Mikey had to return to the kitchen for more prepped supplies. He knew it most likely wouldn’t be the last time he’d have to fill his cart that night either, but still made sure to grab a bit of extra ingredients, thinking it could still make save him one extra trip later on. 

As he was gathering them however, he noticed the door to the pantry opened ever so slightly. Smiling a little to himself, Mikey peeked inside. “Helloooo?” It took a bit of looking around, but after a couple moments, he spotted the small figure crouching in the corner. “Hmph, dude, I knew you'd show up tonight.”

Michi chuckled, standing up. Mikey could hear the water in her squirt gun (as well as the water in her head-bowl) sloshing around slightly as she did so. “Actually, I got here about twenty minutes ago,” she retorted, “Could've really cleaned this place out if I wanted to.”

“Then why didn't you?” Mikey asked.

The kappa shrugged. “What can I say, I like the chase. Figured you or someone else would find me sooner or later, then the fun would really begin. And in the meantime, I could think about what was worth snatching for supper.” Michi thought this would have annoyed Mikey at least a little, enough for him to maybe try chasing her out right then and there.

However, Mikey just stood there, a calm smile still on his face. “Well, it's a good thing I was the one that caught you then,” he told her.

“Oh? Why’s that?”

Mikey didn't say anything, instead just walking out of the pantry. Curious though still on her toes, just in case this was all just a trick to try and get her to spill her bowl water, Michika followed cautiously. With most of them not even realizing she had snuck into their kitchen _again,_ quite a few chefs scowled at her, though none of them tried chasing her out either. Reaching the cooler, Mikey opened the door and got out a small pizza that was already all boxed up, handing it to his would-be thief.

Taking it, Michi stared at the flat box for a few moments before finally opening it up. Her eyes widened slightly at the pizza within it. It was a chilled thin crust pizza, it's crust cooked separately, with cold tomato sauce, crispy green peppers, mushrooms and (of course) cucumber slices. “...And just how manage to guess my favorite toppings?” She asked him coolly.

“Chef’s intuition!” Mikey answered. Well, that and the research Donnie helped him do on kappas. (And to repay him for the help, Mikey had helped his purple brother research Yokai colleges.) “Paid for it with some of my tip money too, so it's all yours!”

“...Thought you said you were gonna show me what you got, Mikaboo,” Michi reminded him, her frown deepening.

“Yeahhh, I know, and I was lookin’ forward to us sparring and playing chase again too,” Mikey admitted, looking a bit more sympathetic now, “And trust me, I still plan on showing all my rad ninja moves. But I’m kinda really busy tonight so, we may have to save it for next time. But hey, at least now you’ve got pizza! That’s good, right?”

The kappa finally scowled at him before averting her gaze. “I don’t need a goodie-goodie like you to buy me food, you know… I don’t need ANYONE to buy me food, I can get it myself.”

“I know,” Mikey told her, “And I wasn’t buyin’ it cause I thought you needed it, or ‘cause I wanted you to feel like you owed me.” Michi still didn’t look at him, but she did seem slightly relieved at that. Mikey took note of that, placing that particular bit of Kappa lore in the ‘true facts’ part of his mind. “I wanted to buy you it ‘cause we’re friends, and that’s what friends do. Plus, I just thought that you should get a Halloween treat tonight too, you know?” he said, smiling at her.

Michi stared back at him, his words echoing slightly in her head. Friends… She hadn’t been lying when she had told him she had other friends that she hung out with from time to time. Those friends had also offered food to her, whether it was a snack they were eating or some leftovers in their cupboards and fridges. However, that was usually because more often than not, Michi would try to snatch it from them and eat it before they could say no. Never being the one to ask first or ask for permission, and never being the one to ask for help she refused to need.

And yet, when Mikey bought her food, he never seemed to do it out of pity. Funnily enough, this time he hadn’t asked either. She knew he didn’t approve of her survival methods, yet at the same time it never seemed like he was bribing her to take an alternative or force her to change her ways. He just did it, that bright and sort of silly smile of his never leaving his face. Maybe that was why, after thinking about it for a bit, the idea itself didn’t seem nearly as bad.

“...I guess it would be pretty stupid to waste a perfectly good pizza,” Michi finally admitted, taking another look at her admittedly delicious free meal.

“Yeahhh, it would be kinda stupid.” Michi slapped him on the shoulder, but Mikey just laughed and lightly swatted back at her. The two playfully tussled for a bit with Michi managing to keep her pizza from falling during it, though still ended up eventually falling victim to one of Mikey’s hugs. Still, a hug from an orange ninja-chef-artist-dork wasn’t TOO bad, she supposed. 

“Michelangelo,” Victor spoke up, getting the attention of the two teens, “You should be getting back out there.”

“Right, I’m on it, Vic!” 

Though as Mikey walked back over to his cart, he heard Michi tell him, “Don’t think this changes anything. You got that, Orange Spice?”

Mikey laughed again, glancing back at her. “Yeah, I know - and I’m glad, ‘cause I still gotta give you that rematch.” He grabbed the handle of his cart, and double checked the ingredients he had on it. However, before he left the kitchen, a thought popped into his head. “...Buuuut, in the meantime, there was somethin’ else I wanted to mention before you left.”

Michi tilted her head slightly. “Oh? And what’s that?”

_“Weeeeell…”_

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Mikey crouched down, peeking inside the oven. From what he could tell, it looked like it was cooking just as it should. So, Mikey left it and the timer be as he briefly checked on the other stovetop dishes. 

The sticky rice-stuffing was just finishing up, so he went ahead and turned off the stove. He then moved to the pot next to it - which was filled with beautifully mashed sweet potatoes - and dropped a small spoonful of butter into it, letting it melt. He checked a few other dishes, both ones that were currently cooking and finished ones that he was trying to keep warm, before finally being satisfied enough to take his chef’s hat off and wander back out onto the edge of the second floor. 

Down in the center of their home, Buddy worked on placing small pieces of tape onto paper hand-turkeys (which varied between having three and five tail feathers) while SHELLDON took them and hung them around the atrium, placing them alongside the autumn colored streamers that had already been hung. Mikey smiled, giving them a thumbs up. “Great work, guys!”

“Thanks, bruh!” SHELLDON told him while Buddy giggled, clapping before giving Mikey a thumbs up of his own. 

Mikey then made his way over to the tv room, where most of their home’s blankets and pillows currently were. Splinter was in his chair, half asleep - though if anyone asked, he'd just claim that he was ‘resting his eyes’. 

April and Sunita (currently in her true form since there was no one in the lair she had to hide from) were snuggled up together on the biggest bean bag. Sunita didn't have a ton of experience with human TV shows, but April didn't mind explaining some of the cultural differences. In gratitude, Sunita would usually give her a quick kiss on the cheek or a hug, which never failed to make her girlfriend smile and blush slightly. She also promised to introduce April to some of her favorite Yokai radio shows, which April was definitely interested in and excited for.

Meanwhile in the giant blanket and pillow nest on the floor, Leo lounged in his favorite blue and white striped sweater and lazily scrolled through social media on his phone. Next to him, Raph was following his pop’s lead and taking a quick catnap, though he did open his eyes when he felt Mikey crawl onto his sweatshirt-covered shell. “Hey,” he mumbled, “Food ready yet?”

“Almost,” Mikey replied as he tried to soak up as much body heat as he could from his brothers and their nest, already missing the natural warmth of the kitchen. When all he was wearing was an apron, it was just way too easy to catch the late-autumn draft found throughout the rest of their house. Though speaking of his brothers- “Where’s Dee?”

“Still in his lab, workin’ on the heat lamp. He says he can make 5.4% more energy effective, or somethin’ like that?”

“We tried telling him that it worked just fine,” Leo added, “but you know how Donnie is. If there's something he can make improvements on, he's gonna do it. Don't worry, I’ll make sure he makes it down for supper on time.”

“Thanks, Leon,” Mikey smiled, giving his blue brother a nod. He stayed on Raph’s back for a few minutes, casually watching the show projected onto the fabric screen but not getting too invested into it. He also reached into his shell and plucked out a couple pieces of leftover Halloween candy, wanting to munch on something as he watched. His family hadn’t been able to give him a tip at Run of the Mill that night, but they had all made sure to give him a chunk of their Trick or Treat earnings when he got home to make up for it.

Eventually though, the box turtle forced himself to leave the blanket-cuddle pile, knowing that (unfortunately) he couldn't stay there forever. As he walked past his father’s chair, he gave Splinter a couple quick yet gentle pats on the head, startling him slightly and making him grumble a little as he woke back up.

Mikey made it back to the kitchen just as the timer went off. Using his favorite oven mitts, he took the dish out, inhaling its delicious smell as he did so. Oh yeah, this one was _definitely_ a winner! Setting it behind his still warm pots, he put a cover over the dish, wanting to keep it a surprise as well as keep it warm.

_“...Hello…? Anyone- oh, uh, hi there?”_

_“Ooooh, that’s gonna be an ‘intruder alert’. Sorry about this, brah-”_

“NO!” Throwing off his oven mitts, Mikey practically threw himself off the second floor, landing in-between his friend and his brother’s living drone. Buddy, oblivious to the situation, just waved at the new girl in their home. “SHELLDON, remember? I invited special guests?”

“Oh yeahhh!” SHELLDON chuckled as he retracted his buzzsaw. “Heh, my bad. Prime directive overriding previous requests and all that, you know how it is. But hey, nice save there, bro!”

“Thanks!” Relaxed again, Mikey turned and smiled at one of his guests. “Glad you could make it, ‘Chi.”

Michi smiled back, more amused than anything else despite her near-termination. “Wasn't too hard to find,” she said, sticking her hands in the pockets of her probably stolen jacket, “After years of making my way through cities and portal paths, a sewer system was like a walk down the street.” She looked around the lair, focusing on all the various graffiti tags that hadn't bed covered up with decorations. “You weren't kidding when you said you spent a lot of time doing street art, but it's actually pretty cool.”

“Aww, thanks!” Mikey beamed, “I've got a couple murals around here too. Remind me after supper and I’ll show ‘em to ya.”

Michika nodded, not minding that idea too much. She was sure a kid as creative as Mikey could come up with some pretty crazy mural ideas. “Though, speaking of supper, that's going to be happening soon, right?”

“Yep! Just pulled the last dish out. We’ve just gotta set everything up and wait for a couple more people, and then we’ll be good to go!” With a bit of a grunt, Mikey hopped up, grabbing the edge of the skate ramp and pulling himself back up to the second floor. 

Michi followed, still glancing around. She wasn't one for staying put for too long, but even she had to admit it was a pretty cool home. Once they reached the TV room, Mikey quickly introduced her to his family before assigning them all small jobs to do. “What's this dinner called again?” Michi asked, “You called it something-giving?”

“Almost-giving!” Mikey corrected, “It's pretty much like Thanksgiving but just a couple weeks before it, hence the ‘almost’ part.”

“It always gets too cold for us by the time actual Thanksgiving rolls around for us to enjoy it,” Leo explained as he sat up, “We’re so tired and lazy by then, we just sleep half the day and eat cold pizza while we watch a recording of that year’s Gilbert’s Department Store parade.”

“But Mike still likes makin’ big meals, so we just pushed the holiday up a couple weeks so Mikey can do his thing and we can actually enjoy it,” Raph added, “You know, before we gotta deal with part-time hibernation.”

Mikey sighed slightly at that. Winter might’ve been pretty with all its holiday lights and decorations and sparkling snow, but it was also a HUGE pain for him and his brothers when their bodies forced them to sleep at least half the day away. He also hated having to ask for so much time off, knowing that he wouldn’t have the energy for ninja missions AND work, though it was a bit easier to bare when Hueso promised him that he would still have his volunteer junior chef-and/or-waiter position in the spring. 

Michi however smirked a bit at the image of all four turtles snoozing the holidays away. “Geez, if that's how you guys act on that holiday, I'm sure you guys are _total_ party animals on New Years Eve.”

“Well excuse us for being cold-blooded,” Donnie dryly said from the doorway, getting everyone’s attention. The softshell was without his armor and goggles and instead settled for his favorite dark-purple hoodie, fully embracing the ‘comfy and chill’ vibe of their homemade holiday. “Besides, we stay up past midnight nearly every other night, so sleeping past it on the final night of the year isn't that big of a deal.”

“Says you,” Michi retorted. Then again, if they had never been to any of the New Years festivals in the Hidden City, they probably didn't know what they were missing out on.

“Eh, New Years here on the surface is kinda overrated anyway,” April shrugged, never being a huge fan of parties and always preferring the more intimate holidays with both her birth family and her adoptive, mutant one, “Halloween, Almost-Giving and Christmas are definitely where it's at.”

“True that,” Leo agreed, stretching one last time before finally standing up. “Come on, bro. You, me and April are on chair duty.” Donnie nodded, and April followed the two of them out of the room. Everyone else meanwhile headed to the kitchen. Raph grabbed the kitchen table while his father, Mikey, Sunita and Michi started grabbing food, plates and utensils. Their kitchen might have been a little on the small side and they might not have had an actual dining room, but using the middle of their home was just as good! Buddy also helped carry in mismatched chairs and beanbags while SHELLDON began quietly playing the Almost-Giving playlist that had been downloaded into him.

About halfway through setting the table, Mikey heard his other two guests arriving. Hueso and Junior were talking about something in Spanish, with Junior grinning widely. At one point, his son said something that made Senor Hueso shake his head slightly as he chuckled. He called Junior something and patted his head, his actual words a mystery to Mikey but his tone filled with affection.

“Hey guys!” Mikey told the two skeletons as he rushed over to them, “Thanks so much for coming!” Admittedly, he had wanted to also invite Roger, Banji, Fenella, Victor, and at least a few other co-workers plus a few of his favorite customers. He had only been talked down from it when his brothers reminded him that they didn't exactly have a grand dining room table and a few of them would most likely be sitting on the floor as they ate because of all the people _already_ coming. So, Mikey had settled for three guests, though was still happy that he had been able to invite a couple of his personal friends.

The others waved and greeted them as well. Junior’s smile fell a bit at all the attention, though didn't disappear completely. He still didn't really care for being around a ton of people, but knowing that they were still happy to see and hang out with him was admittedly kind of nice.

“Yes well, thank _you_ for inviting us,” Hueso replied, tipping his fedora slightly. He loved his restaurant with all his soul, but it was still nice to eat a meal without having to worry about cleaning up afterwards. “Oh, and here-” he pulled a bottle of wine out from behind his back. “We thought it would only be polite to bring something.” Junior nodded, revealing his own wrapped plate of freshly made, chocolate-glazed churros.

Mikey grinned, taking the plate. “Thanks, these look great!” He then looked at the wine. “ _So_ _fancy…_ Hey Dad, can I-?”

“Nope,” Splinter said firmly, appearing suddenly by them and taking the bottle from Hueso.

Mikey pouted. “I wasn't gonna ask for a whole glass, Pop! I just wanted to try a small sip!”

Splinter raised an eyebrow. “Oh, did you suddenly turn twenty-one in the last few minutes, Orange?”

“Noooo…” Mikey sighed, admitting defeat as Hueso followed Splinter, deciding to help him grab drink glasses. Though with so much else to focus on, Mikey wasn't able to stay disappointed for long. He never could stay in a bad mood very long when a holiday meal was involved.

“...S’up, Skullcap?” Michi said as she walked over to the skeleton teen, taking note of his backwards hat.

Junior stared at her. “...Was that an insult?”

Michi sweetly smiled at him. “No.”

“...Why do I not believe you?” Junior asked, giving her a flat look.

Mikey smiled at them as he set down another dish. “Aww, you guys are already becoming friends!”

After only a few more minutes, everything was set up. And with everyone’s stomachs growling, it was definitely time to start eating!

“Okay, so-” Mikey began, starting at the left side of the table and working his way down, “Dessert’s in the fridge so make sure you guys save room for churros and tiramisu, but for dinner we’ve got-” He made sure to point at each dish, making it a true presentation. “Shredded turkey sandwiches, spring rolls, miso glazed carrots, sticky rice-stuffing, mashed sweet potatoes, hot turkey and noodles soup, cranberry sauce and finally-” he took the lid off the only covered dish on the table. “Pizza casserole! So dig in, everyone!”

Everyone, except for Splinter, looked a bit surprised at that last dish. “Pizza casserole?” Raph repeated, “that’s a thing?” 

“Yep, a thing I came up with a while back,” Mikey answered, “just had to tweak the recipe a bit first. So come on, everyone give it a try!”

“It does look pretty tasty, and filling,” April commented. She took a small spoonful and put it on her plate, smiling at the amount of cheese and toppings she got. The others quickly followed, with each of them taking a little bit of almost everything. 

As the main chef of the meal, Mikey put himself last in line for food, and was happy to see so much of it gone by the time he reached the table. What he WASN’T so happy about, however, was all the chairs and beanbags being taken. Still, Mikey just shrugged it off and grabbed a pillow, picking a spot on the floor that was right in-between Donnie and Raph, both of them having not been quick or cunning enough to grab an actual chair either. 

“You know- mm, I didn’t think I’d like the flavors of pizza mixed with the texture of noodles,” Donnie started to say, taking another bite before continuing, “But, as it turns out, it works pretty well!”

“Agreed,” Hueso nodded, “the meat and noodles are both cooked perfectly, while all the pizza flavors are well integrated throughout. Almost like a lasagna in a way but without needing to cut it up. ...And, also with pepperoni.”

“The sauce is a pretty nice touch too,” Michi added, licking her beak.

“It really does help hold it all together,” Junior agreed, “And I can understand the garlic, but what made you decide to add red peppers and bacon bits?”

“Hey, you know me,” Mikey shrugged, “Sometimes I just gotta follow my gut and go with what seems the most delicious!” Even after weeks of following exact recipes and the lead of more experienced chefs, he still hadn’t lost his love of improvising, and he had a feeling he never would.

“Mm, well, you should DEFINITELY keep doing that, bro,” Leo told him, waving his fork a bit, “‘Cause _man_ , is this GOOD!”

“I agree with Blue,” Splinter spoke up, “An Almost-giving dish that is even better than the last time you made it.”

“Yeah, you see? ...Wait, what do you mean ‘last time’?”

As everyone kept eating, the light and comfortable conversation continued to flow from topic to topic, with everyone getting plenty of chances to speak. Even Junior had a hard time staying quiet after a while. And naturally, one by one, plates were cleaned and second and third helpings were taken from the buffet-style dining table. 

Mikey watched from his pillow, a sort of quiet pride still burning in his chest. Hearing compliments from strangers and getting fists full of tips and cash was pretty great, but he knew for a fact that he would never get tired of cooking for his family, or of seeing the smiles his food brought them. It was like when Splinter used to hang the pictures he drew on the wall - it was such a little thing, yet it meant more than all the fluffy unicorns and five-star food critic comments in the world (above OR below the surface). 

As for himself, while there was still plenty of food left, Mikey was already feeling pretty full and satisfied. That combined with his late autumn fatigue was enough to convince the orange turtle to set his plate aside and sprawl out onto the floor, choosing to lie on his stomach with his pillow hugged tightly in his arms. His eyes slowly shut as he continued listening to the voices of his friends and family that he loved so much. At some point, he faintly felt someone put a blanket over him. That extra bit of comfort was just enough to push him over the edge into sleep, sighing softly to himself as he did so. Part-time hibernation might have been annoying, but sleep just felt so SO good…

As he finally drifted off, Mikey dreamed of warm days and even warmer kitchens. He dreamed of all the recipes he’d get to try, the ones he’d create himself, and all the art projects he’d do in-between. Hundreds of dishes just waiting to be cooked, a river of colors and ideas just waiting to be thrown onto a canvas or brick wall or statue or- or whatever! Of cheers from hundreds of strangers, and of unending praise and support from the people he cared about the most.

He dreamed of the places he could go and the people he could meet, the food he could eat and the inspiration he could find, and he also dreamed of more meals like the one he’d just had. More meals with his family and friends, the latter group always growing, and the meals themselves remaining a staple in his life even as the years went on. They wouldn’t always be by his side, Mikey knew that… but he also knew that they would still always be with him through every step as he chased his dreams, just like how he would always be there for them. 

But dreams were just that - just dreams. And even in dreams, Mikey knew there was no way of knowing what would happen to him next or what successes he would have. Personal restaurants and works of art that everyone praised weren’t a guarantee. Heck, he wasn’t even one hundred percent sure if they would be able to defeat Draxum and the Foot in time; The world could end before he could even try to chase his dreams. 

Truthfully, Mikey had no idea what his future would bring him or his family… but that just made him all the more excited to eventually see it for himself. Frankly, if his future was anything like his present, then Mikey knew that he could expect some pretty good things.

**THE END**


End file.
